Undead Swan
by swanqueenorgtfo
Summary: I think the title says it all. Set post Dark One nonsense. Everything is as it should be supposedly Emma with Hook, Regina with Robin, all set in Storybrooke. This is a Swan Queen fic.
1. The Cold One

**The Cold One**

"For Robin and me," Regina said, her large doe eyes pleading.

Emma Swan cringed at the sound of Robin's name off Regina's lips. The darkness had been vanquished, and Emma was more depressed than ever. She'd been through hell and back for Hook, and these days more often than not she wished she'd simply left him there.

"Sorry," Emma said, coldly sitting at her desk, giving Regina a smirk. "You'll find, Madame Mayor, we don't all live and breathe to serve you anymore."

Regina sat down with a sigh ignoring her instinct to threaten Emma with a fireball.

"Emma," Regina said sweetly. She didn't see the pain behind Emma's eyes, or feel the ache in Emma's chest from the sound of Regina saying her name. "We've hardly left Storybrooke, and I just really want some time with Robin. Well...I said _we should take Henry_ , but he thinks it's a good idea we go alone. We've been..." Regina trailed off and Emma's heart pounded in anticipation.

 _Please say you're unhappy. Please say things are falling apart for you too._

And Emma hated that she wanted that. She also wanted Regina to be happy, but lately...she wanted to be the _cause_ of her happiness. "Look," Regina said. "I just want some alone time with him...to rekindle what we have."

Emma numbly started shuffling through papers. "Sorry," she said again. "I've got too much work. Henry can't stay with me for a week, so either take him with you, or cancel your trip." She got up. "Now if you'll excuse me," and she opened the door.

"Emma," Regina said, her voice thick with disappointment. "Why are you being so cold?"

Emma's eyes welled with tears, and she turned away before Regina could see. Of course Henry could have spent the week with her, but she didn't want Regina to go. "I have work to do," she said. "I'll thank you, Madame Mayor, for not wasting my time coming to me with personal issues."

Regina felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She got up feeling the color drain from her face, and left.

 _What is wrong with Emma?_

The months had fallen off the calendar since they had come back from the underworld of the old land. She and Hook had moved in together, and Robin of course lived with Regina, but slowly Regina had noticed Emma had become more and more distant. Mean while, Regina was _trying_ to be happy...but she felt as though something was missing more than ever lately.

She craved the adventure, having something to fight. She had thought she wanted everything to settle down, sink into a normal life, and now that she had everything she could want, she wondered more and more if it was only what she _thought_ she wanted after all.

She walked in and Robin was there waiting for her. "What did she say?" he asked. Robin had been the one to come up with the idea of going away. Regina had mixed feelings about it, but she wanted to try and make it work with Robin. Still, even though Emma had been a stone cold bitch about it, Regina was secretly relieved they wouldn't be going.

"Darling," Regina said. 'I'm afraid it's not going to happen right now. Sheriff Swan has too much work-"

"That's absurd," Robin said. His jaw tightened. "What work does she have to do in an imaginary town."

"Storybrooke is not an imaginary town anymore," Regina said.

Robin paced back and forth.

"We might be able to go in the spring," Regina said.

"Spring," Robin muttered. "Whatever that means." He sat down before Regina and took her hands. "Do you ever...wish we were home?" he asked.

"What? You mean back in the old world? This is my home now."

"But why?" Robin asked.

"Henry and Emma are here," Regina said. "And Snow and Charming: my family is here."

"Aren't I your family too?"

There was a tense silence between them.

"We could take Henry with us," Robin said.

"Out of the question," Regina said. "I could never take Henry away from Emma. She's his mother-"

"She is not!" Robin bellowed pacing again. "Why should everything we do revolve around _her_? You raised Henry as your own."

"He is not my own," Regina said firmly. "Besides, I don't want to leave Storybrooke. This is my home. Emma is in our life, and it's going to stay that way."

The fire place blazed with life suddenly.

"A lot of good she does," Robin added callously. "Hook says she's like a ice queen since they returned. Barely even puts out."

"You need to watch your mouth," Regina said. She didn't know why she felt so defensive of Emma, but she felt her hands grow hot, and hid them behind her back. "The only one who can bad mouth Emma is me," she said. Robin looked at her tensely when the front door opened and shut.

"Mom!" Henry called.

 _Saved by the child,_ Regina thought with relief. "Enough," she said quietly, but firmly to Robin.

Henry ran in and hugged Regina. "What's for dinner?"

"Hungry are you?" Regina asked, running her fingers through Henry's hair and admiring what a fine young man he was growing in to. "What sounds good?"

"An evening alone," Robin said, although he knew he'd end up hanging out with Hook. He stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

"What's wrong with him?" Henry asked.

Regina shrugged. "What do you say we head over to the Charming residence and invite ourselves to dinner."

Henry brightened and Regina smiled. _Maybe Emma will be there_ , Regina hoped.

Meanwhile, Hook sat depressed while Emma paced about their apartment, pulling shirts from the dresser and shoving them into a bag.

"If you aren't happy here we can get a new place," Hook said pleadingly.

"It isn't the place," Emma told him. "I just need some time. Things haven't been right with us for a while."

Rage pulsed through Hook as he took Emma roughly by her arms and shoved her against the wall.

"You could have left me in hell," he said. "Why bring me back here just to leave me?"

"You're alive. You're free to do whatever you want," Emma told him. She jerked her arms away and spun kicking him lightly in the chest to get him to back off. _"And so am I."_

She went to the door and opened it to find Robin with his fist in that air about to knock. "Perfect timing," Emma said looking at Hook.

"Sheriff Swan," Robin said, his jaw tight. Emma gave him a cold smile and left.

" _Women_ ," Robin said helping himself to Hook's rum.

"Tell me about it," Hook said.

Emma Swan had dropped her things at the gym, and taken her frustration out on a punching bag until her knuckles were swollen. She still wasn't satisfied. She walked to Snow's intending to tell her everything and ask what she should do when she saw Regina and Henry at their table: they were all having dinner together.

Cold sharp tears stung Emma's eyes. She envisioned herself sitting beside Regina, their fingers laced together under the table. Everyone happy and together. The longer Emma had stayed with Hook the clearer it had become: he wasn't the one. He wasn't her family, not like Regina.

She wanted to go in and be with them, but she was ashamed at the way she had treated Regina. If she saw her she'd probably throw one of her signature fireballs her way, and Emma couldn't blame her.

She turned and left, wiping tears from her eyes.

She stashed her bag under the staircase outside their door and headed for the woods. Night had fallen, and Emma stormed through the trees angry and confused about everything. She wanted to come clean: tell Regina how she felt, but she knew it might bring about the end of joy for them. Regina loved Robin, although Emma knew he could never give her the kind of true love Emma held for her.

Regina probably barely cared for Emma at all.

Emma wiped more tears from her eyes and pulled her flask, taking two nice, long sips.

"Emma Swan," a voice called brightly.

Emma rolled her eyes and turned, surprised to see a brunette woman. She had wide set eyes like Regina, and wore a power outfit similar to her style.

"Do I know you?" Emma asked, softening.

"You don't remember me?"

Emma stared at her, but couldn't place where she'd seen her before.

"I was a friend of Lily's," the stranger explained. "You and I only met once."

Emma searched herself, but couldn't recall. _No matter_ , she thought. This was a sweet distraction. Emma offered a sip from her flask, and the stranger politely declined.

"What brings you to Storybrooke?" Emma asked numbly. "Is Lily in trouble?"

The pale brunette shook her head, but her eyes had a shine like the stars. "I only came for one thing."

She suddenly shoved Emma lightly against the tree. "Whoa," Emma said, dizzy from the scotch and excited to have a woman pressed against her. "You move fast," she said.

"No time like the present."

She suddenly kissed Emma on the mouth.

 _Regina_ , Emma thought imagining her instead of whoever this woman was. There was a coldness to her kisses and Emma shivered, pushing her away.

"Wait, I'm sorry, you're great looking, and as high as I am, I have to at least ask you your name."

"It doesn't matter Emma," the woman said, and her eyes turned red.

Emma pushed against her with all her might and took off running. She didn't make it ten yards before the stranger caught up, running ahead of her swinging her fist suddenly pushing Emma in the jaw and knocking her back.

"Damn," Emma said rubbing her jaw. She looked at the stranger. "A kiss, followed by a kiss with a fist," Emma smiled, thinking of Regina.

"That's a big smile for someone who's about to die!"

"You remind me of someone," Emma said, and she sprung up, kicking the stranger in the face, and making to run again. _This is so weird. Who is this woman?_

Emma felt someone take a fistful of her blond hair and rip her so she fell on her back, her spine making contact with a sharp rock that stuck out from the earth. The wind was knocked from her. "This has been fun," the woman said, stepping on Emma's throat.

The woman kicked Emma in the face, nearly knocking her into a coma. Emma tasted her own blood on her lip, and her vision was dizzy."I love to play with my food, but time is running out."

The woman straddled Emma, held her down by her wrists, and leaned down to lick her neck. Emma pushed against her, squirming with all her might, but she realized she couldn't move at all. Then the fear set in.

"What the hell are you?" Emma croaked.

"Mmm," the woman said enjoying the struggle. "I'm tempted to beat you into a bloody pulp, destroy you forever...but that wouldn't serve to punish the guilty ones."

"The guilty ones?"

The woman held Emma down like a twelve ton iron lock, and she whispered in Emma's ear: "Later, when they asked how this happened... _tell Regina that Cordelia did this_."

"Cordelia," Emma said, and she realized suddenly why this woman reminded Emma of Regina.

The woman smiled, and the glamour spell she had put on herself wore off and Emma saw exactly who she was, her true form.

"You!" Emma cried. "But you're dead!" Cordelia's eyes turned bright red, and she opened her mouth wide extending two long fangs.

"No!" Emma cried, struggling.

It was too late. Cordelia sunk her fangs into Emma's neck, and drained her of every drop of blood she had. It was the worst pain she'd ever felt: her life force slowly being sucked from her.

Cordelia smiled above Emma suddenly slitting her own throat open with a long fingernail, bleeding over Emma's mouth. The blood tasted like cold metal, and Emma coughed and choked trying to spit it out as tears sprung from her eyes.

"Drink it or you'll die," Cordelia whispered.

Emma swallowed, gagging. She felt her body stiffen and lock tight. She couldn't move. She was forced to watch as Cordelia dug a grave for her, as she did she hummed a tune that was all too familiar to Emma. Cordelia rolled Emma into her grave and Emma wanted to scream as dirt was flung over her body, and she was slowly buried alive until at last the sky, the stars, and moon went totally dark.

Regina awoke on Snow's couch with a stiff pain in her neck to the smell of burnt coffee. She looked around and went into the kitchen to see Henry alone.

"I made breakfast," he said.

Regina winced at the sight of burnt pancakes. He poured her a cup of burnt coffee, and Regina smiled, but dumped it down the drain as soon as Henry turned. She gave him a hug and waved her hand towards the pancakes, spelling them to be cooked perfectly.

"This looks great," she said. "Have you heard from your mother?"

"Not yet," Henry said.

They had all texted Emma last night when she hadn't turned up and Hook had called wanting to speak with her. "She isn't with you?" Regina had asked.

"No, she left," Hook said glumly. "I think...she needs a break from me."

"She isn't herself," Regina said. "She must be going through something."

Although, over one too many glasses of wine Emma had been complaining about Hook a lot lately. It pained Regina to see Emma so unhappy, but inwardly Regina wondered if she wasn't just as unhappy as Emma was...or was she just better at hiding it?

 _What does Emma want?_ Regina thought. _What do I want?_

She made a fresh pot of coffee and thanked the Charmings for letting her stay.

The day wore on, and soon it was late again. There still hadn't been any word from Emma. They banded together. First, they searched the town, they searched the woods, and Regina knew (or thought she knew) all of Emma's hiding places.

Finally, they all stood in a circle while Regina cast a spell to summon Emma's form. Instead a shallow crack formed in the earth.

"Oh no!" Regina exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"What does that mean?" Snow asked.

"It means-" Regina suddenly looked at Henry and stopped. "Uhh it means I'm rusty as hell and haven't cast the incantation correctly." A tense moment passed. "Henry...could you...go get that one big purple book...upstairs in my bedroom, uh, it's a spell book."

Henry rolled his eyes, but left. Regina snuck up to make sure he wasn't listening when she grabbed Snow and Charming.

"I did not do the spell wrong. The crack is formed because it means Emma is _dead_ ," she explained in a mad whisper.

"Dead?!"

"Shhhh! We can't alarm Henry when we aren't certain-"

"Could it mean anything else?" Charming asked. "Like she's been taken to another world?"

"Not usually," Regina said.

"Ok, well for now we keep looking," Snow said, tears threatening to spill. "We don't quit. We keep looking."

"She's been acting so strange lately. So unhappy. I should have stayed with her yesterday!" Regina said, feeling the worst kind of guilt. Who was Regina without Emma? Snow put her hand on Regina's arm.

"It's not your fault. We have to stick together, and keep trying." Regina nodded and they pulled themselves together as Henry came back.

They told everyone to keep their eyes peeled for Emma. They tried every summoning spell they could, and nothing worked.

At last night fell and they all went to bed.

Regina walked in to her room with a glass to scotch disappointed to find Robin there.

"Where have you been all day?" he asked.

"Looking for Emma," Regina said. "She's missing."

"You could have at least called," Robin said. Regina looked at Robin and wondered why she had never seen how truly self centered he was for someone who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Then again, he had gotten Zelena pregnant literally right after he'd left Regina. Why had she ignored the signs?

"Did you not hear me? Emma Swan, my best friend, the mother of my child, the woman who has saved my life on multiple occasions is _missing_ ," Regina said not bothering to hide her rage.

"For fuck sake, Regina. _You_ are the mother of your child." Robin said standing.

"You don't understand," Regina said turning from him.

"I understand," he said definitely. "Emma broke up with Hook. She just needs some time."

"No," Regina said. "Even if that were true Emma would never leave without letting us know. She isn't someone who just runs off without any explanation."

"Are you sure? Now that she's gone why can't we just take Henry and go home."

Regina snapped. Everything that had built up in her finally came to head. She threw her scotch glass against the wall with a scream. "Why can't you understand! _I am home!"_

Robin grabbed Regina by the arms, holding her too tightly. "This has never been my home! I gave up everything to come here and be with you."

Regina's hands glowed with fire, burning Robin, while her eyes went dark with malice. He let go and she shoved him away, leaving burn marks on his chest.

A tense silence passed as they stared hard at each other.

"I never asked you too," Regina finally said, her eyes like daggers. "If that's how you feel then go back to your Lady Marion and your precious land."

Robin didn't say a word. He simply left, and Regina wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again.

She sat on her leather recliner by the window and lit the fire with a wave of her hand. She drew her hand towards the broken glass and scotch, the glass fragments and drops of liquid levitated coming back together as their perfect form. The glass of whiskey came to her and she drank all of it in one swallow burning her throat and ears, and settling the knot in her stomach.

She began to weep, but she couldn't tell why. Was she weeping over Robin or Emma? In her heart she knew the truth. She'd give anything for her friend to just be there for her.

"Where are you Swan?" she muttered, crying. She cried and cried until mercifully she fell asleep in her chair.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

Regina was in a dream. She was with Emma and Henry, they were having a picnic in the sun, and Emma put her hand on Regina's leaning in closer but this irritating _tap, tap, tap_ kept interrupting.

Then an eerie voice called _Regiiiiiinaaaa._

 _Tap, tap, tap._

 _Regina!_

Regina awoke with a start. "Emma," she said, and looked around.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

Regina looked towards her window and thought her heart would jump out of her throat when she saw Emma's pale face in her window staring at her.

"Hi Regina," Emma said.

"Emma," Regina went to the window and opened it. "What the hell are you doing? I thought you were dead! I texted you 42 times and called you 73 times!"

Emma didn't say anything. She just gave a carefree smile. _"Can I come in?"_

"How did you get up here?" Regina opened the window all the way, but was startled to realized Emma was simply hovering outside, not standing on anything.

"Since when can you fly?" Regina crossed her arms. " _I_ can't even fly."

Emma just gave the same eerie smile. "Please let me in," she said. "Please."

Regina was afraid. She hesitated. Emma looked pale, and like she'd been starving for weeks. Still, she knew Emma would never hurt her. She was glad to see her after all, but she knew something had gone terribly wrong. At least Emma was alive and they could figure it out together.

"Yes," Regina said finally. "Please come in."

Emma gave a mad smile, and floated higher, levitating into Regina's home. Regina watched Emma's blond hair fan out as she created wind. Emma turned to Regina with that ghost like smile. Finally, she was right where she wanted to be.


	2. You Smell Like Dinner

**You Smell Like Dinner**

"You smell good," Emma said quietly, staring at Regina so intensely it gave Regina chills.

"And you look like you could use a bath," Regina said boldly looking Emma from her shoes to her head. Emma was covered in dirt. Even her face had dirt all over it. She plucked a dead leaf from Emma's hair. "Where have you been?"

Emma only stared at Regina with the same mad smile.

"Never mind," Regina said, looking at her with concern. "I'm glad you're safe. Just...don't disappear like that again please." She put her hand on Emma's back to guide her when a chill ran through her. "Emma," she said startled. "You are unbelievably cold." Regina rushed to get her a blanket.

"Here," she wrapped it around Emma, but Emma only kept giving her that dark smile. Regina lead Emma into her luxurious bathroom and began drawing a hot bath for her.

She pried Emma's red leather jacket off of her. "Shit you're bleeding." She for once noticed the smeared blood all over Emma's chest and around her mouth. She grabbed a towel and ran hot water over it, cleaning the crusted blood away.

She turned Emma around lifting her blond hair, searching for a break in her flesh. "I can't find the wound," she said as Emma turned to face her.

"It's not my blood," Emma said simply.

Regina looked at Emma hesitantly, and kept cleaning the dried blood and dirt away. She knew something was very wrong, but didn't quite know what to do. _Perhaps a sleeping spell_ , she thought.

"Why are you scared?" Emma asked eerily.

Regina shrugged. "I'm not," she lied.

Emma gave a hallow smile and leaned in. Regina felt her cold breath on her ear. "You're lying," she whispered slowly. "Your heart is pounding like a jack hammer. I know because _I can hear it_."

Regina dropped the rag and turned to run, but Emma had super human reflexes. She grabbed Regina by her arm in a split second and slammed her against the wall, pressing her body against hers and looking into her eyes.

"Emma," Regina warned. Emma held Regina shaking like a wounded animal, and when Regina looked at her she saw Emma had pain and fear written all over her face.

"Please help me. Something... _something bad happened to me_...Regina, s-something bad happened to me...in the woods," Emma whispered slowly, her eyes glowing red.

"What happened Emma?" Regina asked, trembling.

Emma opened her mouth wide and Regina was shocked to see two long fangs extend.

"Emma, let me help you," Regina cried, still trying to subtly push her away. It was like trying to push over a firmly rooted tree.

"I don't think anyone can," Emma said, and she cried a single bloody tear. "I'm _starving_."

"What do you need?" Regina asked, and she was terrified. Terrified of the hunger in Emma's eyes. Terrified of Emma's super human strength.

"I've been hungry for you for years," Emma finally confessed, pressing her lips to Regina's throat. "Mmm, I can feel the blood rushing through your veins, Regina," Emma moaned hotly.

Regina began to get dizzy with sudden desire. She relaxed, enjoying Emma pressed against her. She fantasized about being in the hot water with Emma, getting wet together. She wanted to wash the filth and dried blood from Emma's naked body. She wanted Emma inside of her. _What the fuck is happening?_

Regina came to her senses and struggled, trying to push Emma away and gain the upper hand. She finally summoned tree roots from the wall from behind, which bound Emma's wrists and wrapped around her waist pulling her back from Regina. It was to no avail and Emma simply snapped through them like they were toothpicks. This time she lunged for Regina, just barely nicking her throat with her teeth when-

"Mom," the innocent, high sweet tone, of their child stopped Emma like Medusa's gaze. She froze and retracted her fangs. When she turned to look at Henry her eyes were still glowing and Henry flinched.

Emma looked at Regina, and Regina could see the anguish and the shame. She had been there once, raw with new powers. Dangerous. Unable to trust herself. Emma looked at Henry and sobbed bloody tears.

"Emma," Regina reached to take her arm, but Emma pushed her away.

"Don't touch me!" she cried. And she ran with a howl like a wolf from the bathroom diving headfirst out the same window she had flown in through.

Quick hot tears, rushed down Regina's face as Henry went to her.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I have no idea," Regina said, mystified and in shock.

They went to the window and looked for Emma, but there was no sign of her at all. Regina put Henry back to bed, and did not lie and tell him everything would be okay. He was too old for that now. When Regina left Henry got up and stayed by his window, keeping watch in case Emma came back.

She went back to her bedroom and replayed the events in her head, even retracing her steps. She made a list of Emma's symptoms: _cold to the touch, red eyes, fangs, super strength, can fly_...and what else? What had Emma wanted?

Regina was writing a line about the heat and desire between them when a drop of blood fell onto her page. She went to her mirror, and looked at the small nick Emma had left on her throat. Her blood dripped into the sink creating a beautiful red ribbon against the white porcelain.

 _Blood,_ Regina thought. Emma was starving for blood. _What kind of curse does such a thing?_

She looked down at her blood swirling in the sink, and she wondered: _where is Emma now?_

Hook was pissing on the side of Granny's when he turned, still zipping up to see Emma. He'd had one too many drinks, and Ruby had thrown him out, so he was already in a caustic mood.

"Well hello," he slurred.

"Hook," Emma said calmly.

"Where have you been?" Hook asked, coming closer. "Heard you ran off. Regina was frantic," he suddenly burst out laughing in Emma's face. Mean while, Emma smelled the stench of rum on Hook's breath coming at her like a swift breeze. She could hear his heart thundering weakly in her ears. She could hear his blood pumping beneath his skin, and when she looked at his throat she saw his jugular leap out in a blue line as if to say _Drink Me!_ with joyful glee.

"Let's take a walk," Emma said.

"Lead the way, my lady, if I can still call you that," Hook said callously.

Emma turned and could smell Hook following behind her like a walking happy meal. He slipped at one point, and Emma helped him get to his feet with one arm, lifting him by the back collar of his shirt like he weighed nothing. Hook was so drunk he barely noticed it happened.

They came to a spot in the woods, and Hook pulled a cigarette and lit up, looking at Emma.

"What a dirty girl you are," he said.

"Since when did you start smoking?" Emma asked.

"Since when do you give a fuck what I do?" He asked. "You ripped my heart out."

"Not yet I haven't," Emma said, feeling her fangs slowly come forward.

"Did you _ever_ love me?" Hook asked. Emma gave him a cold, stoic look.

"Did you love me?"

Hook began to weep pathetically. "I loved breaking you in," he said. "I loved the little girl who wore pink dress and pony tail for our date."

"Aww," Emma said sarcastically. "You loved the illusion you got to deflower me," she taunted. She suddenly threw her head back and laughed at Hook.

"Yeah I prefer that to this dirty, laughing wolf in front of me. For the love of Merlin when's the last time you showered."

"You're pathetic," Emma said.

Hook looked at her before downing his last sip of rum, and stubbing his cigarette out. "Oh yeah?" He suddenly broke the empty bottle against a tree, aiming the razor edge side of the glass towards Emma. "Well if you want to be treated like a man, let's see if you can fight like one."

He lunged at her, and Emma danced around him, leaping with ease and grace. He eventually rammed his head into a tree and fell sideways, his nose bleeding. Emma stood over him and realized every ounce of pity had been robbed from her. She felt no sorrow or remorse for what she was about to do.

 _What the fuck has happened to me? What am I doing?_

Hook began to drunkenly cry again, and Emma instantly felt her heart harden into a block of ice.

 _Surviving_ , she realized.

"Don't worry," Emma said. "It'll all be over soon."

She lifted Hook with one arm by his throat and slammed him against the tree twice, knocking him nearly unconscious. She had a hunger and a rage racing through her like never before as she dropped him on his ass. Hook looked up at her, and she smiled the same way a wolf smiles down at a rabbit.

"What the fuck happened to your teeth?"

Emma gave no reply, and Hook's eyes went wide, finally sobering up, but it was too little too late. Emma kicked him in the face before lifting him by his throat again getting him onto his knees, this time she quickly bent his pretty head so far back his neck snapped with a loud _crack!_

 _At last,_ Emma relished looking down at his exposed throat, right where she sunk her teeth in. It was her first kill, and she had been born starving into the night. She drank with such force, feeling the human life fuel her system. Every rum scented drop was delicious as it rolled like warm velvet over her tongue. She drained him of every last drop before a rush of energy sent her levitating above the tree tops and looking up at the full moon.

She gave a mad howl, covered in Hook's blood from her bottom lip all down her front, looking out over the town. There was only one other thing more satisfying than blood for Emma:

 _Regina_


	3. Operation My Mother is a Vampire

**Operation My Mother is a Vampire**

"Not again," Snow said pouring herself a cup of coffee.

Regina and Henry had gone over to Snow's at the early hour of 8 AM. They were both too anxious to wait any longer. Snow had answered the door, her eyes puffy from crying all night, and welcomed them in.

"She came to me last night," Regina said. "She was... _different._ "

"Do you think the darkness has come back somehow?" Charming asked.

"No, definitely not. This was some kind of curse unlike anything I've ever seen. I even tried to hold her back with my root calling spell, and even _they_ couldn't hold her. She was strong," Regina explained.

"Maybe your magic is going soft," Charming offered.

Regina gave him an are-you-fucking-kidding-look and summoned her roots, tying him down instantly. "Go ahead and test them."

Charming struggled with all of his might, but the roots were totally unbreakable. Snow even joined in, bringing his sword attempting to hack the roots away. The sword made very shallow cuts, but the vines healed themselves no problem and stayed strong.

"Your daughter broke through them like they were toothpicks," Regina said, releasing him with a wave of her arm. "There was something in her eyes too...a hunger like I've never experienced."

"Well...it sounds like dark magic," Snow said.

They were too anxious to eat, and so they tried a few summoning spells, and nothing worked to bring Emma back to them. They went to Regina's vault and rifled through her books from the old land and couldn't find anything like what Regina described.

"Her eyes glowed red, and she could fly," Regina said. "I don't know any witch who can fly...without the help of a broomstick that is."

"Maybe we should check the library," Henry said.

"What good would that do?" Regina asked.

"Well," Henry explained. "We can't find any clues from the old world...maybe whatever curse she's under is something that comes from this world."

"But there's no magic here," Snow said.

"I know," Henry countered. "But...there are all kinds of old mythology. Paranormal possession, ghosts. Legends of monsters, shape-shifters, even witches of another kind. People coming back to life, being able to heal, feeding a thousand people with one loaf of bread and two fish...there's even a dark land said to be below us where lost souls go when they die if they've done horrible things. It's like a river of fire where people suffer for eternity."

Regina remembered Emma's glowing red eyes and her brand new sharp teeth, the way she had leapt through the air like an animal. _This is hell,_ Regina realized. Hell, it turned out, was when Emma wasn't around.

When they walked into the library they could hear Belle and Rumple arguing.

"Well why does she have to be around all the time?" Rumple asked. Belle rolled her eyes, walking around him with a stack of books to shelve.

"She's my friend," Belle was saying.

"This is the third morning I've come in here to catch you two reading together-"

"Catch?! Right, you _caught_ us reading a book together like a pair of bandits. Call Sheriff Swan to arrest me!" Belle laughed. "Ruby enjoys reading with me in the mornings. What's wrong with that?"

Regina watched Belle stand before Rumple the same way she had stood before Robin telling him Emma was her home, and a peculiar feeling that confused her came up. There was a certain thought beginning to grow on the edge of her mind and it was whispering the name of the thing she wanted most, but Regina wasn't ready to hear it.

"Ahem," Charming finally said, and they both turned.

"Right on time," Belle said, cutting her eyes at Rumple, happy for an excuse to turn away from him. "What can I help you lot with?"

"Emma's in trouble," Snow said.

"Again?" Rumple asked. "Who did she sacrifice herself for this time?"

"We're still trying to figure out what happened," Regina said, in her deepest please-fuck-off tone. She looked directly at Belle. "I have a list of symptoms, but we specifically need books on curses and creatures of _this_ world."

"This way," Belle said, leading them all back to the horror section. "Hardly anyone comes back here," she added. The horror section was covered in dust but the black and red text still shined through like blood bleeding through drywall cracks.

"What's wrong with her?" Belle asked.

 _Nothing, she's perfect,_ Regina almost said catching herself. "She can fly, her eyes turn red, she had super strength, and..." Regina looked hesitantly at Snow before leaning in to Belle to quietly add: "Two long fangs, right here," Regina whispered pointing to the front of her teeth.

"Oh!" Belle said. "Well here," she turned to pull a large old book and set it loudly on the table in front of them. The book was enormous, old, with dark red ancient script titled: VAMPIRES.

"Vampire?" Regina asked. "What the hell is a vampire?"

Henry began flipping through. Regina caught sight of graphic images of creatures with long fangs, drinking the blood of naked humans, some flying, but they all had that same haunting smile Emma had been wearing.

Henry began to read out loud: "A vampire is a nocturnal being who survives by feeding on the blood of humans. They exist as _undead_ beings and often will visit loved ones and cause mischief or deaths in the neighborhoods they inhabited when they were alive.

They all shared a concerned look, except for Regina, who was too busy lowering her eyes, smirking privately to herself having been the _loved one_ Emma had visited the night before.

"Vampires require human blood to be sustained, and cannot be killed by anything other than a wooden stake through the heart or decapitation. Any other injury can be healed rather quickly, and the more well fed they are, the stronger they are, although they are ten times more powerful than the strongest of men. However, a starving vampire will have weaker powers."

"Aside from their super human strength, vampires are also extremely fast, capable of leaping great heights, and flying. They also have a power known as glamour, which can hypnotize their prey, and even change their appearance," Henry read more astonished than ever. He couldn't believe this was his mother now. "They require invitation to enter a person's home."

"But how did this happen?" Snow asked, her eyes wide with devastation.

Henry flipped through the pages. "Here," he said. "In order for a vampire to be born they must be drained almost to the point of death of their human blood, and then they must drink the blood of a vampire. Afterwards, they are buried until the following nightfall when they dig themselves free of their grave, born starving in their new form."

"That explains why she was covered in dirt," Regina said.

"That means there's a vampire in Storybrooke," Belle said. "Someone had to turn Emma."

"But who would do such a thing?" Snow asked.

"We need to find Emma," Regina said definitely. "We need to find her before she hurts someone."

"Too late," it was Ruby, behind them, her eyes big with sympathy.

"I smelled him when I took the trash out this morning," she said, after she'd lead them to the ally behind Granny's. Regina was the only one brave enough to approach the dumpster Ruby pointed a shaky finger towards. She lifted the lid and gasped.

"It's Hook," she said. Indeed Hook was laying in the dumpster, his eyes wide and white with death, and his throat totally ripped out. Snow covered her face and began to cry. Henry approached, but Regina dropped the lid. "Don't look," she said, and he obeyed.

They all sat at a table at Granny's with the book in the center of the table. Everyone was numb with shock. Regina wanted to help Emma, but she had some very different ideas as far as how to go about doing that. They bickered. The Charmings wanted to capture Emma, but Regina had witnessed Emma's power. She was nervous they'd end up getting killed at the hands of their demonic daughter. She took Henry out front to talk to him, deciding she needed to trust her instincts.

"I need you to stay with your grandparents," Regina said.

"What are you going to do?" Henry asked.

"I need to find your mother some food before she hurts someone else close to her," Regina explained.

"You know she didn't really care for Hook anymore," Henry countered. "She could have bitten you, but she didn't."

Regina touched the small cut on her neck.

"Mom," Henry said. "She would never hurt us. No matter how hungry she is, she'll never hurt her true family."

Regina nodded impressed with how well Henry was handling the situation. Then again, the kid had been through hell and back. Literally. He'd seen a lot, and his mother was once the Evil Queen, his other mother was once a Bail Bondsperson, and now a vampire. Yet here he stood, mature beyond his years, fearless.

 _He gets that from his mothers_.

"Listen," Regina said to Henry. "Do all you can to learn everything about vampires. Get every book Belle has, and see if there's a cure or a way to reverse it. We need to do everything we can to help Emma," Regina said.

Henry nodded solemnly. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

Regina looked around and lowered her voice. "Well, if your mother needs to eat we might as well find someone who _deserves_ to be eaten."

Henry's eyes lit up. "You're going to feed a villain to her?" He laughed.

Regina smirked. "It's just until we can change her back. In the mean time, keep an eye on the two idiots. I don't think they understand how dangerous Emma is."

Henry nodded and Regina turned to go. "Wait!" Henry said. Regina turned. "We need a code name! And a way to always keep in contact."

Regina scoffed. "What do you wanna call it? Operation My Mother is a Vampire?"

Henry thought for a moment. "How about Operation Family?"

Regina smiled and blinked sudden tears away. "Perfect," she said. "We'll meet up again in the morning."

She knew exactly where to find Emma's second meal. She puffed into a cloud of purple smoke and arrived in her vault. She'd need an outfit for where she was going.

She quickly donned a full black gown with a purple laced corset. Her sleeves hugged her arms tightly, widening around her knuckles, and flourishing around her shoulders in delicate a-symmetrical points. The neckline, of course, was dangerously low. She looked seductive and powerful. _Too bad Emma isn't here,_ her own pouty red lips smiled back at her. A smoky purple eye to finish.

 _How are you gonna walk in that thing?_

Regina turned, swept up into the memory of Emma coming to free her when they were under the curse of Shattered Sight. Of course, in her worst form Regina was evil and self centered. So naturally, she planned to tell Emma how she really felt and seduce her. Emma rounded the corner and Regina smiled decadently at her.

 _With the poise and the composure of a Queen_ , Regina said standing.

Of course Regina never got to tell Emma what she felt. Emma had been too quick to announce her true love to Hook, and how much she really just wanted to break Regina's heart with it. Regina had felt humiliated and sad, but as the Evil Queen those feelings dissolved like a crushed heart. So of course to get back at Emma Regina decided to kill Emma's mother. It seemed only fair since Snow killed Cora. That is, in the Evil Queen's mind, it all made sense.

Regina turned away from the memory and realized she was hopelessly devoted to Emma no matter what, and she'd been a fool to think she could try and recreate that kind of love with anyone else. She looked at herself in the mirror. _Face it. The ordinary life is just not for you._ Yet for the first time Regina decided she wouldn't mourn that simple girl she used to be. The girl had died with Daniel, and Daniel's last words echoed through Regina now:

 _Love again._

She went to the very back of her vault. She pulled a small, black dagger she kept strapped to her inner thigh, and slit her palm open. She reached towards the corner of the room, until the invisible door knob lit up. This was the only way it could be opened, and Regina had thought to use this once before right after Emma had become the Dark One, but Zelena had been so stupid she practically just offered Regina her portal.

When Regina opened the door it was lined with various weapons and chains she'd brought back from the other world. This little cabinet was tethered to Regina's blood line, so really it went with her everywhere, but she dare not open it anywhere but her vault. Aside from various weapons, one very important piece stood at the center.

Regina's first mirror.

She had made it just after her mother had taken Daniel from her. Of course when Rumpelstiltskin had seen it, he gave her more glass, more materials for a bigger, finer mirror. "Build yourself one that is _fit for a Queen_ ," he told her. This one, however which she had built with the hardest, blackest mahogany she could find, always was her more trusted mirror. After all, no one knew about it but her. It was permanently stuck with a being Regina had never asked for, and thus she could trust it.

And the best part, Regina had built her first mirror as a bridge with an exact copy which opened on the other side in the old land. Regina took a set of chains off the inner door of her closet, as they would come in handy. Any person in these particular chains had to do exactly what you told them. Regina strapped them to her waist.

She stepped inside her little room, and when she shut the door behind her she disappeared from the world completely.

She waved her hand before the mirror, stepping boldly into the black realm. She reached one bloody hand forward until she could feel the door knob to the other side. She twisted the handle and braced herself. She opened the door and lifted herself over the threshold, which acted as a trap door in the old land.

Regina inhaled, musty winter, the smell of horses, and hay. She sighed relieved. The smell of the old world had so many layers to it. She loved her new home, but the air was thin and polluted. Here she could smell the land. She stood and brushed herself off replacing her dagger, and pausing to wrap a black lace handkerchief around her wound. She looked around and admired the stable she and Daniel used to meet at. She did not let herself linger though.

In a cloud Regina appeared at a very odd looking house in the Black Forest. The Blind Witch had been the one to steal Regina's cursed fruit, and so Regina had sent two children in to retrieve it, and lit her house on fire. The house had been destroyed, but the Blind Witch had survived. She had built a smaller, uglier cookie house.

Regina knocked on the witch's door boldly.

What answered nearly made Regina flinch. There was hardly anything left of the Blind Witch. Her entire body was disfigured with hideous burn scars, and some still oozed painfully. Her head was bald with sores, her eyes were completely gone replaced with a layer of scarred flesh, and her nose was gone, save for two small black holes. A row of sharp, black teeth was the only thing left.

"You," the thing growled.

Regina offered a caustic smile. "Relax," she said. "I come bearing gifts."

The Blind Witch hobbled back, and invited Regina in. Regina looked around to see the enormous oven blazed with life. Decorations of small bones hung from the ceiling. She smelled iron and burning flesh. Even the blinds were yellow with bloody cracks around the edges: made out of skin. Regina turned and her heart jumped in her throat when she saw a pile of children's shoes in the corner.

"What do you want?" the Blind Witch bellowed.

Regina looked at the creature with horrid disgust. _Well_ , she thought. _Can't serve Emma a burnt meal._

She waved her hand over the witch, and cast a healing spell. Within minutes the witch returned to her form before she'd been burned alive. Her skin was smooth and pale again. She wasn't in excruciating pain from the burns of magic fire. The Witch gasped in ecstasy finally being able to stand up right and open her eyes again, although they were blind. Before the Blind Witch could do anything else Regina grabbed her arms and slapped the cuff of the chains on her wrists. The Witch snapped upright, and Regina could tell she was under her control.

"Follow me," Regina said.

"Where are we going?" The Witch asked, her vocal cords normal, and no longer sounded like she was talking through a mouth full of sand.

Regina rolled her eyes and summoned a gag for the witch, popping it onto her mouth, and smiling wickedly as she walked ahead, pulling the Witch behind her like a dog on a leash. She lead her through the Forest instead of using magic, enjoying the walk. She thought of all the children who died at that evil bitch's hands. Regina knew she ate them, and she had a child of her own now. Having a family, being in love, all of it had softened her heart, and she didn't want to feel angry and vengeful anymore. She healed that part of herself through them, but she also learned the value of life through them too, and that knowledge came with a passion to do whatever it took to keep them together and to keep them alive.

They arrived in the stable, and Regina opened the wound on her palm once again to guide them through her mirror. When they finally got to her vault, she changed her clothes and they made their way to the woods.

Regina's heart began to race when she stepped outside and saw it was already dusk. It was nightfall by the time they got to the woods. Regina stood on the edge, and took a deep breath, stepping in to the thrush.

"Emma," she called looking around, still pulling the Blind Muted Witch in chains behind her. "Emma!"

Regina's hair stood up on the back of her neck, and she turned to find Emma standing directly behind her.

"Emma," Regina gasped, her heart slamming against her rib cage.

Emma closed her eyes taking in a deep breath, taking Regina's scent in. Then she opened her big blue eyes and smiled slowly at Regina. She gave a quick glance to the Witch. "What's with her?"

Regina didn't say anything, and she didn't need to. Emma's eyes lit up bright red when she saw the answer in Regina's eyes:

 _She's for you._


	4. Shades of Red

**Shades of Red**

"Who is she?" Emma asked, still standing mere inches from Regina. Regina smelled the blood and dirt on Emma's breath, and winced.

"She's a witch who lures children into her house. Then she cuts them up, bakes them in a giant oven, and eats them," Regina said. "Who knows what other horrors she puts them through."

Emma raised her brow at Regina, giving an intrigued smirk. "You're so smart," she said.

"I thought you'd like to mix your meals with justice, Sheriff Swan."

"Take her chains off," Emma said.

Regina understood: _It's more fun_ , and did as Emma requested.

Finally free, the Blind Witch ran madly through the woods. Emma watched her go, and looked at Regina, waiting patiently as she could sense Regina winding up to something.

Regina took a breath and said:

"When you're finished...you should come home with me. You can take a bath, and sleep somewhere safe instead of whatever filthy crypt you've built for yourself." Emma stared at Regina, still somewhat mystified. "And damn it, Emma," Regina added. " _When's the last time you brushed your fangs?"_

"I don't think you know what you're saying," Emma told her. "I'm a monster, Regina. It's worse than being the Dark One. I can never see the sun again," Emma said, her voice shaking as a single bloody tear rolled down her cheek. "I know you're afraid of me," she added sadly.

"I am not," Regina said.

Emma raised her brow and stepped forward as Regina fought the urge to step back, holding her ground. Emma took Regina's wrist roughly, and brought her wounded hand towards her mouth. She locked eyes with Regina, slowly untying the black lace handkerchief, and her fangs sprung forward. Regina was doing all she could not to pull her hand away, but she remembered what Henry had told her:

 _She'll never hurt us. No matter how hungry she is, she'll never hurt her true family._

Regina took a breath and stood still, never once pulling away or hesitating. Emma smiled, softening. "I'm impressed," she admitted. She suddenly bit into her own hand and bled into Regina's wound. Regina was amazed to see the wound heal instantly, a rush of energy flooded through her; a power and confidence she wasn't used to. It wasn't anything like magic, more like the primal knowledge that one truly _is_ top of the food chain.

Emma watched Regina content to hold her hand while Emma's new blood raced through her. She felt Regina's heart beat, and her fangs glistened in the moonlight.

"Thank you," Regina said.

Emma gave Regina a smile, her eyes turning red. "No," she said, leaning in so fast Regina barely blinked before she felt Emma's cold breath on her ear. "Thank _you."_

And quick as a flash, Emma took off for the Witch in the woods. Regina's heart raced, and she grinned wickedly as she puffed into a cloud of purple smoke, appearing wherever Emma was chasing the Witch and pausing to watch. Emma ran the Witch around the woods through twisting paths, exhausting her.

Regina watched from behind a tree as Emma circled the tired woman, her eyes wide with anticipation. The Witch made a lunge for Emma, but Emma just jumped aside quick like a fox. The Witch ran straight for Emma, and Emma put her hand out and caught the Witch by her throat. Regina almost gasped when she saw Emma's hand give a squeeze followed by a loud _crunch!_

The Witched begged for her life, her voice thick and gritty with pain again, as Emma set her slowly on her knees and bent to sink her fangs into her neck. Emma drank slowly while the Witch squirmed, eventually going slack. Regina watched with evil glee, and was startled by the rush of excitement she felt between her legs, her nails digging into the tree she was hiding behind. She was astounded over what she was watching as Emma finished draining the Witch.

She stood up looking satisfied, fresh blood all down her front, and had a second thought. She reached back down and Regina nearly moaned aloud when Emma ripped the Witch's heart out, bringing it to her mouth, sinking her fangs into the muscle, and drinking the sweet nectar like dessert.

 _Oh fuck_ , Regina thought.

Emma sensed Regina's eyes on her, and paused to remove her fangs from the heart and suddenly look straight at Regina, giving her an evil smirk. Her whole face and front was covered messily in blood, and Emma's eyes were wide and pale with appreciation as she finished the heart's last drop and tossed it.

"She tasted like the old world," Emma said, walking to Regina. "How did you get her here?"

"Never mind that," Regina said crossing her arms. "We have other matters at hand," Regina looked at how disgustingly filthy Emma was. Covered in dirt and who knows how many layers of crusted blood. Regina counted three shades of red. The blackest shade, Regina guessed, was from the vampire who'd done this to Emma. Without explaining anything, Regina began to lead her out of the woods towards home.

"Like how you ate your boyfriend and left the remains in the dumpster behind Granny's!"

"Ex-boyfriend," Emma corrected. "It was a _mercy_ killing, and in my defense I thought it was a good place to hide him until I could figure out what to do next."

"Yeah, and that might have worked if it weren't for the fact there's a werewolf living at Granny's."

Emma winced. "I forgot about Red," she admitted. "I'm sorry," she added.

Regina looked at Emma sideways before softening her gaze. "Don't worry," she said. "I took care of it."

Emma stopped suddenly and Regina turned. "I know where you're taking me. I can't come home with you, Regina."

"Why not?" Regina asked, her eyes wide and soft.

"What about Robin?"

And Regina realized it'd been nearly nine hours since she even thought about Robin. She gave Emma a shrug. "He's around...I think," Regina said. "You don't have to worry about him, and I insist you come and at least use my shower."

They didn't talk the rest of the way, and Regina decided to wait and ask how Emma had become this way.

 _Another time,_ she thought and she wanted to take Emma's hand, but she did not, as she lead her into her home, and left her in the bathroom to wash the dirt and blood away. She went through the house and was pleased to find no one else was there.

 _Alone at last._

She poured herself a scotch, and lit the fire with a wave of her hand, allowing herself to enjoy one quiet moment. At last, free from the day. She looked into the fire and thought of Robin. He wanted to go home so badly Regina was tempted to take him. She couldn't pretend to be in love anymore. Nor could she pretend the ordinary life satisfied her.

No, instead Regina would have a life of fright and adventure. The kind where she needed to travel to forgotten lands through secret mirrors. The kind that was hot, and vibrant like every shade of red. A life of magic, strange monsters, and poetry. She felt a peculiar kind of peace, as she finished her whiskey, and walked upstairs to find Emma standing in her guest bedroom.

"I thought you could sleep here," Regina said softly.

"Too many windows," Emma said without looking at her.

Regina took a step forward, happy to see Emma was clean. Her skin was smooth and beautiful, albeit pale like cool milk. Her blond hair shined, still just a little wet. Regina waved her hands and blackout curtains appeared over every window.

"Better?" Regina asked, moving in to Emma's sight line.

"Regina," Emma said turning away. "You don't understand."

"I just want to help you-"

"This thing that's in me now, the insane hunger-"

"I mean so what, you're a vampire-"

"I barely recognize myself, but more than ever I can't control the desire I've had-"

"Henry wants to see you, you're family is still here for you-"

"I can't stop thinking about how much I want to kiss you."

Regina opened her mouth and stopped suddenly. She stood in front of Emma again.

"Wait...you want to _kiss me_?" She whispered.

Emma only stared at Regina with longing. Finally, Regina understood that hunger in Emma's eyes was not just for blood.

She lowered her gaze and touched her lips to Emma's, lightly and hesitantly at first. Emma wrapped her strong arms around Regina, kissing her passionately and taking in every delicious scent, as she slipped her tongue into Regina's mouth Regina moaned softly.

Emma was swept up, and lost herself in the kiss, and in the constant thrumming of Regina's heart. Regina kissed Emma's neck and shoulders holding her tightly. Emma threw her head back relishing the feeling of Regina against her when she suddenly felt her fangs spring free.

Emma jumped back startled, and pushed Regina away, covering her mouth. Regina looked at Emma and flinched when she saw her fangs. Ashamed, and frightened of herself Emma turned away.

"No, wait Emma-" But it was too late. Emma ran with a leap and jumped out the window again.

"How many times is going to do that?" Regina mumbled, turning away with sigh, rolling her eyes.

She had another scotch, one long bath, and finally crawled into bed alone. She kept hoping Emma would come back and kiss her again, stay the day there where Regina could be certain she was safe, although Regina knew she would probably have to come up with a safer place.

She lay with her eyes growing sleepy when she heard the floor boards creak. She sat up to see Emma standing at the foot of her bed. "I was wondering if that offer to spend the night was still on the table," Emma said coolly.

"Of course," Regina said, her heart pounding in her throat. Emma came to Regina's bedside and sat down. Regina blushed pulling the covers up around her naked body as Emma slowly began to unlace her boots, unbutton her jeans and shirt, it was the three exquisite minutes of torture for Regina Mills to watch Emma Swan get undressed.

 _I can't believe this is happening_ , Regina thought.

Emma looked at her seductively as she leaned over and kissed Regina. Regina put her fingers in Emma's hair tugging lightly. Emma took Regina's wrists and pushed Regina back, holding her down with her arms above her head.

Regina moaned as Emma kissed her neck and shoulders, pausing to tease Regina's ear with her tongue.

"Do whatever you want with me," Regina breathed hotly, her body pulsating with desperation.

"I intend to," Emma smiled darkly, as she tied Regina's right wrist to the bed post using a soft purple cloth, doing the same to the other. Regina laid back restrained and felt nothing but pure exhilaration as Emma kissed her body everywhere, but the most sensitive places. Regina surrendered to Emma completely.

Emma kissed Regina's breast slowly, her warm mouth finally closing softly around Regina's nipple, gently suckling pausing every so often to spin her tongue around in soft slow circles, giving her the same attention all over her delicious body.

Finally, Emma kissed downwards over Regina's stomach to between her legs. Kissing around Regina's cunt lightly, teasing her. Emma stopped and sat up looking at Regina, who was panting helplessly.

"Beg me," Emma said darkly.

"Oh please, Emma! Please don't stop! Do it to me, please," Regina cried shamelessly, writhing hotly beneath Emma. She had never felt so hot and so sensitive in all her life. Every time Emma touched her it was like sparks on Regina's flesh, followed by the most exhilarating chills!

Emma finally dragged her tongue over Regina's clit. She licked lower, penetrating Regina with her tongue. Regina screamed with pleasure when Emma slipped two fingers inside of her, massaging her g-spot, slowly at first.

Emma sat up and locked eye contact with Regina. "Who do you belong to?"

"You," Regina breathed. "Emma, I'm yours!" She moaned while Emma thrust her fingers inside and out hitting that perfect spot again and again. So intense were the rushes of pleasure Regina closed her eyes and saw stars. Bright lights of various colors exploded to life and she saw in this world every living being was connected through an invisible white cord, and she was now apart of it all. It was like the greatest secret of life had been revealed to her.

"Look at me," Emma commanded, and Regina opened her eyes and looked at Emma while Emma pleasured her, pausing to lick her now and again, until Emma's tongue focused on Regina's clit stroking her in soft perfect circles.

"Oh, Emma!" Regina cried. "I love you! I belong to you! Every part of me is yours," Regina promised as she finally came so hard her toes curled, waves of pleasure rolled through her again and again, as tears rushed from her eyes and she moaned.

Breathless, Regina looked at Emma and saw that her eyes were bright red and Emma smiled through fangs. Her heart was pounding so hard, but she was astounded when Emma suddenly plunged her hand into Regina's chest and pulled her glowing heart out. Emma sank her fangs into the heart, with a crunch like biting into the juiciest, reddest apple.

Regina screamed, her eyes wide.

"What?" Emma asked coolly through a bloody smile. "You said it was mine."

Regina awoke with a start and sat up. She was still shaking and sweating with pleasure. "It is yours," she breathed. "It is yours."

She laid back and let herself calm down. _It was dream?_ Fucking hell it had all felt so real. She felt an odd mixture of post-orgasm pleasure, as there was no mistaking the wetness between her legs, and devastation from the fact that Emma had never come to her and made love to her.

The sun shone brightly through the curtains, and Regina realized daylight was slowly becoming her least favorite time.

Naked and wide awake, she got up and, with shaky legs, walked around the house looking out the window Emma had made her exit through. There was no sign of her. Regina was completely alone. She made a cup of coffee and checked her phone. She had a message from Henry:

 **Meet me at the library at 9 AM. Charmings think we're having breakfast, but are asking questions like crazy. We need a plan.**

 _Right_ , Regina gave a sharp nod and got ready.

As she went through her monotonous routine: brush your teeth, _wish Emma was here_ , wash your face, _wish the dream had been real_ , take shower, _think about Emma's eyes, her smile, the way she used to smell when she was human_. Get dressed and look totally composed _even though you're falling apart on the inside._

Henry met Regina with a bright, wide smile that warmed Regina's heart. "Hi," she said handing him a cup.

"Coffee?" he asked excitedly. "I'm old enough for coffee?"

"Hot chocolate," Regina said smiling at him. "You want coffee?"

Henry shrugged somewhat embarrassed over his excitement, and turned away.

"Here," Regina said. She opened his cup and poured some coffee into his hot chocolate. "This is called mocha, and you can start out with it."

Henry drank it, tasting a drink like bitter chocolate. "Mmm," he said, not really looking like he was certain as to whether he enjoyed it or not. "Thanks!"

"So, what have you found out?" Regina asked.

"Well," Henry said. "I think the most important thing is to think of a safe place mom can sleep during the day." They stood at a table where Henry had several books open with little markers. He showed one page to Regina with an old drawing of a sleeping vampire.

"Vampires are at their most vulnerable when they're sleeping," Henry explained. "They sleep well...like the dead, and are very hard to wake in the day. So anything could get to her, and she'd be totally defenseless, and sunlight _kills_ vampires."

Regina studied the black and white drawing of the sleeping vampire. The vampire had long, light hair like Emma, and Regina drew her fingers over the drawing thinking of Emma sleeping vulnerably.

"Got it," Regina said. "We'll figure something out tonight. What else kills vampires?"

"Well in the comic books vampires are allergic to garlic, can be repelled by church relics, and can be harmed with silver. But according to these books none of that is true. The only thing that can kill mom is a wooden stake through the heart or decapitation...oh, and fire _can't_ kill her when she's awake and full, but it can when she's sleeping."

"Fascinating," Regina said, narrowing her eyes in thought.

"Check this out," Henry said opening a narrow, deep red book. He read, "The blood of a vampire can heal any wound and prevent any sickness. When drank by a human, it will sometimes lend traits such as super human strength and excess energy."

"Mmhmm," Regina said smiling. She opened her mouth about to tell Henry Emma had already given her some of her blood, but Henry continued.

"If a human drinks the blood of a vampire, the vampire will always know where the human is and will be able to sense if their human is in danger. A vampire's blood is sacred to them, and so they only give it willingly to those they consider their own."

"Really?" Regina asked, her eyes wide with sudden outrage. "Well," she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, not certain of what to think of Emma.

"Other side effects when drinking the blood of a vampire include," Henry went on. "Psychic abilities such as the ability to see the secret world, hear thoughts, and even gimps planets in space, other visions usually include dreams of an extremely graphic sexual nature!" Henry laughed, and Regina shut the book quickly.

"I guess it's a good thing to know so you don't take any of mom's blood," Henry said. "That would be weird, huh?"

"Yeah," Regina agreed, turning away before Henry could see her face blushing the brightest shade of red.


	5. Puncture Wound

**Puncture Wound**

As that day wore on Regina Mills was ex _hausted_.

The morning with Henry had been a touch embarrassing albeit he had no clue, and she had been up for the better part of the night, and for the other half of the night she'd been having an insane dream that felt so real she woke up tired. She had to think about who Emma's next meal would be, how to get Emma to agree to sleep somewhere safe as Emma's blood raced hotly through her veins only distracting Regina all the more.

Regina wanted to run tests to see if she had super human strength, because clearly excess energy had not been a gift bestowed through Emma's blood. Although Regina was presently craving a super rare bloody steak, and she did not want to consume it the lady-like way.

"She's my daughter," Snow was whining. She and Charming had shown up that afternoon, after Regina had been having a great time learning from Henry, and they had immediately started making demands.

 _Where is she? Who is she eating? When can we see her?_

"Snow," Regina sighed. "I know. I know it must feel horrible having not seen her, but Emma...she's _different_ now. She's dealing with a lot. She told me she didn't recognize herself last night."

 _And then her soft tongue caressed mine for ten seconds of bliss while my heart was pounding so hard I thought it'd jump from my throat and do a happy dance on the table._

Regina lowered her eyes, smirking to herself, thinking about Emma's mouth, her hair, her gorgeous smooth skin.

Regina put her hand on Snow's shoulder, and held her gaze. "She's going through a lot, and I brought you up to her last night before we-"

Regina stopped suddenly as Snow raised her brow. _Fuck._

"Um...before she _left_ , and she left rather...swiftly. She's a vampire now. They have a thing for appearing and disappearing without a moment's notice."

"Like _someone else_ I know," Snow said looking pointedly at Regina. Snow narrowed her eyes and looked closer at Regina. _Oh no,_ Regina thought. _Don't do it._ "There's something you're not telling us," Snow said.

 _Fuck she did it._

Regina turned, blushing lightly, but Snow suddenly jumped in her sight line and poked her in the chest.

"Listen to me," she said, looking Regina straight in the eyes. "She's my daughter. She's out there alone in the night, in the cold. I haven't seen her in five days, and I _will not_ lose her again. So you either get it straight, and work with us-"

"Or what?" Regina asked, feeling her hands grow hot.

"Let's take it easy," Charming said quickly intervening, putting his hand on Snow's shoulder.

Regina glanced over her shoulder at Henry who rolled his eyes at her. _Calm down._

"I'm going to see Emma again tonight," Regina said quietly. "I can't just take you to her and act like it's ok. Snow...she really isn't herself, and you need to let her come to you. I have to talk to her," Regina explained. "Besides, I've had to do some strange things to make sure she's well fed without anyone getting hurt, and I don't think you're ready to be apart of that. Emma's condition is unlike any kind of magic, any kind of darkness or monster we've faced. I'm not sure _you're_ ready to see her."

"I am!" Snow said, matching Regina's gaze unflinchingly.

Regina sized Snow up, maybe she was tougher than Regina thought. "Very well," she said. "Tomorrow night, but tomorrow afternoon you and I are going to pay an old friend of yours a little visit, _just us girls_ ," Regina said wickedly getting in Snow's face even more.

"Good," Snow said matching Regina's attitude, even though inwardly she had no idea what Regina could be talking about. Regina scoffed, breaking into an easy smile.

Henry finished giving them Vampire 101 lessons, and Regina watched as Snow's face grew whiter and whiter than ever with every dark detail she learned. Eventually, she made her excuses to leave and sent Henry a text:

 **Not grocery shopping. Getting food for your mother.**

Henry replied: ***smiley face, thumbs up* operation family is underway!**

And then: **can I sleep at your place tonight, mom?**

Regina smiled, feeling sudden tears in her eyes. They were still family after all. **Of course,** she replied. **You never have to ask. You know my home is yours.** She knew Henry had his own key, although she didn't know when she'd finally get home herself.

She went to her vault, and poured herself a scotch, allowing herself a few minutes. She sat down on her couch and thought about Emma: her piercing blue eyes, and the way she'd held Regina down in her dream. She took another long swallow of the whiskey and felt warmth rush through her. She closed her eyes and could smell Emma, and the tired Queen fell asleep briefly.

She woke up twenty minutes later, startled and energized. She finished her scotch and got ready. She'd need another beautiful look, but for where she was going she couldn't wear a skirt.

Regina donned a beautiful brown vest, with slashed white sleeves, and brown tights with strong leather boots. She tied her hair back and admired herself in the mirror. She snapped her fingers and a bow with a quiver of arrows appeared. She decided it wasn't really her style, and with another snap two long swords appeared flanking her hips. Regina pulled one; it felt good.

She made her way through the looking glass and this time she didn't stop to admire the barn. She snuck around the back, intending to borrow a horse, when the sight of a little blond girl stopped her suddenly.

The girl was innocently looking at her with hay in her hands, feeding her pony. "Hi," she said brightly.

Regina smiled. "Hello," she said approaching her horse.

The little girl smiled shyly at Regina. "Wanna feed her?" she handed her a fistful of hay. Regina smiled gently, offering the pony. She sucked it up like nothing, and Regina stroked her mane.

"She'll be a fine Regal when she grows into her legs," Regina told the little girl. Regals were essentially the Mustangs of the old world, the strongest, bravest kind of horses. They were also large and their bodies were made of solid muscle.

The little girl nodded, her wide blue eyes reminded Regina of Emma and her curious, friendly nature reminder her of Henry.

"Say," Regina said. "You don't happen to have a bigger horse I could borrow for a few hours, do you?"

The little girl looked at Regina suspiciously.

"I promise I'll bring her right back," Regina said, eyes wide hands up. "Here," she pulled a leather pouch from her waist. She opened it and the little girl's eyes lit up at the gold coins within the pouch. "You can keep all of my money, and when I bring the horse back, I'll take it leaving you one whole gold coin. If I don't bring her back, well then you've made a small fortune for your family."

The little girl nodded, and lead Regina around to the pen where the horses were galloping. There was a large, black Regal which galloped with pride.

"What's your name," Regina asked the little girl.

"Hester," the little girl said.

"Hester, I'm Regina," Regina said offering the little girl her hand. Hester shook Regina's hand.

"You're so beautiful," Hester said. "You're almost as pretty as the _Queen_ Regina."

Regina smiled. "I get that a lot," she said. "Now, listen, I'm gonna borrow that horse, and I'll be back in...maybe a few hours. Ok?"

Hester nodded and fetched Regina a saddle. Regina kicked off, nodding her head to Hester, who promptly went into the barn and threw the gold coins around like she had all the money in the world, she then very carefully collected them all, waiting for Regina to return.

Regina was in her element, riding the black, Regal she had named Evil. Evil had bright, glowing eyes, and moved so swiftly Regina felt as though she was riding on a current and not a horse.

"How fast can you go?" she kicked, and Evil jumped onto her hind legs before taking off like a bullet.

Regina rode Evil to the coast, to one particular broke down palace where a creature so vile and so hated existed that no one would miss her at all. Regina dismounted from Evil and tied her to a nearby olive tree, thriving in the sand. "Wait here," she whispered, petting her mane and enjoying the smell of a horse.

She was suddenly swept back to Camelot.

 _Well I guess the pony's smarter than the pirate._

Regina had been following Emma and Hook around to be sure Emma was safe. It had broken her heart to watch Emma with Hook, but Regina was thankful she had suffered through it.

Hook clearly had no idea what he was talking about when it came to horses.

First, Hook had forgotten to place the saddle pad beneath the saddle which would have lead to an injured, angry horse. Next the fool forgot tighten the girth strap on the saddle, which would have lead to them being thrown at first break run, if the idiot even knew what that meant. Regina fixed these issues quietly behind them as they finally walked at a trod towards the woods.

Regina kept Emma safe as they walked through the thrush, Hook stopping to give another manipulative speech.

 _Before you can ride a horse, it must trust you._

That was the closest thing he'd gotten right all day, but Regina was convinced any moron could tell you that. However, his approach was all wrong, and Regina had a hard time wrapping her head around any horse ever trusting Hook so long as he wore a weapon for a hand. Cloaked by invisibility, she stood on the other side of the horse, stroking its mane and keeping it calm, whispering a spell of protection to keep Emma safe.

Regina had always wanted to be the one to show Emma how to ride, but in her fantasy, Emma was no damsel in distress, and she had her own horse.

When they'd made the clearing alone, _That was amazing_! Emma had exclaimed.

 _Thank you_ , Regina thought. Smiling at Emma looking so happy. Her smile faded immediately when she saw her look at Hook with more love in her eyes than ever. She could take no more, and turned away from them leaving, wishing Emma would look at _her_ like that.

However, when Regina had learned what Emma had done that day she wished she'd stayed to intervene.

Finally, she turned away from the memory, letting it turn to dust behind her, and walked slowly into the ruined temple.

Regina beheld Medusa's stony form. "Old friend," she said quietly. She had brought swords, and thought briefly about capturing Medusa the hard way. It was too much of a risk, she decided.

She carefully wrapped Medusa in chains before turning her to her normal form with a snap of her fingers.

Medusa came to life, her snakes for hair screaming. She turned her piercing gaze on Regina who immediately blindfolded her before the damning sight could touch her. "Come with me," Regina said, and Medusa swam through following Regina beside her horse. Regina stopped short of Hester's shed and waved her hand, spelling Medusa to appear as a harmless old woman in rags.

"Don't say a word," Regina told her, and because of the chains, Medusa complied.

Regina went to Hester, who was sitting quietly with her pony. "Here she is," Regina said handing Hester the leather leash for the horse. Hester took Evil back to her stable, and began to give her a brush. Regina watched the girl, and saw her hesitating.

"Has she kicked you?" Regina asked. Hester nodded, looking down.

"Now that's ok," Regina said. "Even the best of us have been kicked by a horse in our day." She went to Hester and took the brush. "Some horses can be terribly picky about how they're brushed. So when you take the handle make long downwards strokes," Regina instructed showing her.

Hester nodded, and watched Evil relax under Regina's influence. "Here, you try," Regina said, handing the brush back to her. Hester brought the brush down slowly, but she still hesitated. Regina knelt down eye-level with the child. "Hester," she said. "It's very important for you to not be afraid. Now, she's already kicked you. What happened when she did?"

"I had a big bruise on my hip," Hester said with a shrug.

"Did it kill you?"

"No, but it sure hurt a lot," Hester complained.

"Yes, but if you really want to work with horses you must demand their respect. It's imperative you approach them fearlessly, or they won't ever feel safe with you."

Hester nodded with her eyes wide, taking Regina in. She went to the horse and took her by the mane, pressing her forehead to Evil's soft nose. She went around and made long, firm strokes with the brush.

"Excellent," Regina said. "Maybe I'll see you again, sometime," and she turned to leave.

"Wait!" Hester cried. Regina turned. "Your gold," Hester held out the leather pouch and Regina smiled.

"Keep it," she said nonchalantly, and she turned to go, when Hester's face lit up like fireworks.

Regina was amazed. Being evil, vengeful, for all it's flair had never felt as good as listening to Hester run happily to her parents _. Ugh the Charmings must be rubbing off on me,_ she thought with a smile.

She felt satisfied, taking the journey back through the looking glass, an old shriveled hag Medusa following behind. It was dusk when Regina pulled Medusa to the edge of the woods and stepped bravely into the thrush.

"Emma," she called softly. "Emma!"

"You're late," Emma said coldly. Regina flinched, her eyes wide with hurt.

"I-" she didn't get a word in when Emma suddenly flashed forward taking the old woman in chains, pinning her to the ground, and draining her. "Emma wait," Regina said, startled. She had brought Medusa so Emma could chase her around, have fun winning over a mythical creature, with very rare blood.

She had brought Medusa to Emma as a delicacy, the same way she'd have spent all day cooking a fine meal, and to watch Emma carelessly take her, barely saying a word hurt Regina's heart.

But Emma looked back at Regina with such hatred for interrupting her, Regina stepped back. "Never mind," Regina said quietly, her heart aching. She turned away and did not watch as Emma greedily finished Medusa, who burst into a cloud of shimmer like a fairy when it dies.

"She tasted different," Emma said, not bothering to wipe her mouth.

Regina could hardly look at her, but she needed to talk to Emma about a few things, even though she only wanted to turn and leave. "Emma," she said bravely. "We need to talk about giving you a place to sleep," Regina said. "I have a few ideas-"

"I have my own place," Emma said, again coldly. She turned away from Regina.

"Emma, wait," Regina said following her. "Snow said she wants to see you."

Emma smiled darkly. "Why?"

Regina stood in front of Emma and put her hand on her chest to stop her. Emma looked at Regina like she wanted to kill her, but Regina didn't flinch. "Emma, you're her daughter. So what, you're a vampire, but you're still _Emma_. Henry misses you," Regina added. _I miss you too_.

Emma wanted to get lost in Regina's big coffee colored eyes, but she couldn't trust herself when she was around Regina, and she felt so ashamed over what she had become. Besides her human feelings, Emma was also conflicted over the extreme hunger and rage that nearly drove her mad. She thought her love and connection to her family made her strong, but lately she was wondering if she'd be better off without them.

"Thanks for the meal, Madame Mayor," Emma said coldly turning away.

"Funny when researching vampires Henry didn't report being a _Grade A Ungrateful Bitch_ as one of the symptoms," Regina called after her.

"Maybe I'm taking a page out of your book," Emma said, turning back with a glare.

Regina shook her head and softened, walking towards Emma. "I know this is hard," she said, spreading her hands.

Emma shook her head, still grimacing at her. "You have no idea how hard this is!" she growled.

"We're doing all we can to make it easier," Regina explained, her eyes wide with disappointment. She had been looking forward to seeing Emma all day, and wondered why Emma was being so hard towards her. Had Regina been a fool to think that kiss had meant anything to Emma?

"I didn't ask you to!" Emma snapped. "My ex-boyfriend had a knack for smothering me too," Emma warned. She suddenly zoomed forward in a flash pressing that super human strength against Regina in a split second, holding the reformed Queen down, hurting her just a little. Emma smirked and her long fangs sprang free. "And I ate him just to get him to leave me alone."

"Let go of me," Regina warned through gritted teeth, tears in her eyes. She was holding back all she could, but the frustration of her day raced through her.

"I'm still hungry, but maybe after I've tried the royal blood line," Emma teased, but Regina let go of her rage with a scream and the force of a thousand fires ran through her overworked hands blasting Emma backwards, searing her flesh, where she landed with a thud on her back, her spine breaking in two.

Regina stood over Emma, tears running down her face, and blew the smoke from her fingernails. "There is a line, _Miss Swan_." Regina spit, her tone choked with betrayal. "And you've crossed it."

Before Emma could see her sob, Regina turned away and evaporated into a puff of smoke, leaving Emma to heal slowly. She walked through the woods crying, and had intended to simply go home, but Regina knew Henry was there, and not ready to face him yet, she wound up at Granny's.

Ruby promptly brought her a drink, and watched impressed as Regina shot it back and asked for another. Ruby poured herself one this time, and they toasted. The place was quiet, and Ruby let Regina stay while she closed up, wiping down the bar.

"So...how's Emma?" Ruby asked. She'd been especially curious since she discovered Hook's dead body.

"Emma?" Regina whispered, deflated. She looked at Ruby and a million cool lines rush through her head, but Regina was so sick of hiding who she was and what she truly felt. She burst into tears suddenly.

"Shit!" Ruby said, rushing around the bar throwing her arms around Regina. It had been a long time since Regina vulnerably accepted care from another.

"I'm sorry," she said, and Ruby held her hand, shaking her head no apologies needed, while Regina for the first time since she was sixteen, was just truly genuine about what she wanted and what she felt.

Ruby listened intently, pausing to ask Regina questions.

"When I'm not with her," Regina explained, her eyes puffy. "It's like a knife in my heart, just a big puncture wound, a hole," she cried.

"Fuck, that's so beautiful," Ruby said, her own eyes filling with tears. She held Regina again and they talked into the night.

Little did they know, Robin Hood stood fuming with anger, eaves dropping on every sacred word.

Meanwhile, Regina had left, and Emma Swan wandered around the woods lonely and miserable. Her last words to Regina echoed regretfully through her cold body, and she wondered if she had been fated to be alone forever after all.

One warm, bloody tear dripped down Emma's face, and at last she retired to her crypt. It was still hours away from day light, but Emma didn't care. It's not like she'd have any visitors, and she was so depressed she didn't want to wonder around leaking blood from her eyes.

Her crypt was in an old mausoleum that Emma had been able to break into. She pulled the stone door shut behind her, encasing herself in total darkness. The one good thing about being a vampire was that when she laid down and covered herself in dirt and dead leaves she fell into an instant black sleep. No need to feel and no dreams included.

Not more than twenty minutes had Emma crawled in when she was suddenly yanked from her vampire sleep literally by her shoulders. Emma was barely awake when she felt herself being dragged by her hair from her mausoleum through the wet cemetery grass.

"Wakey, wakey!" Cordelia sang as she threw Emma towards the woods. Emma hit a tree with a thud and fell, scattering up to get to her feet.

She made to take a swing at Cordelia, but being an older vampire, was stronger and faster than Emma. Cordelia threw her head back whenever Emma charged her, simply whacking Emma hard enough in the head three yards back each time.

She finally stood over Emma, pressing her foot to Emma's throat who squirmed like a worm on a hook beneath Cordelia's boot.

"Why haven't you told them about me?" Cordelia asked. "Trying to do everything alone again?" Cordelia suddenly brought her foot down hard enough to crush Emma's throat. Emma laid there in absolute pain as her bones slowly restructured themselves back together. The process was long and painful, and when it was finally over Cordelia danced on Emma's rib cage crushing as many bones as possible.

"I gotta say," Cordelia said out of breath. "It was fun watching you be a vicious cunt to your refined Queen, the thing we both know you love most," Cordelia taunted venomously. Emma's eyes widened with rage.

"And of course," Cordelia went on. "Watching your mommy cry herself to sleep every night while she wonders where her poor daughter is has been a total pleasure. Look I even took a video," she added brightly, producing an iPhone screen where Snow could be seen through her bedroom window, sobbing into her pillow, biting it so she didn't wake Charming.

In another flash Emma saw Henry trying to sleep, turning over miserably. He looked as lost and alone as Emma had felt for the past five days.

"You st-stay away from my fam-" Emma spit blood, coughing as her ribs snapped back in place. The cells expanding with growth was like being flayed alive. Cordelia shut her up by giving her a right hook that might as well have been a jack hammer, completely dislocating Emma's jaw and knocking several of her teeth out.

"Your family?" Cordelia teased, standing over her. "I'm not gonna lay a finger on them. _You_ will be the one who destroys them all, Emma Swan," Cordelia said. She picked Emma up by her shoulders lifting her high and throwing her against another tree.

"I get to watch."

Emma didn't bounce off this time though. She felt something akin to an iron hot poker puncture through her rib cage. She looked down to see a branch sticking through her, holding her to the tree like pinned locust.

In more pain than she ever imagined possible, Emma grasped the bloody tree branch tightly, and the only thing she could think was: _serves me right_.

"I just missed your heart," Cordelia called gaily. Emma looked down at her through bloody tears, and Cordelia lifted slowly off the ground to meet Emma's eye line. "Don't waste anymore time pretending you don't know how you came to be vampire, Emma Swan," Cordelia warned.

She took the tree branch sticking through Emma's ribs and and twisted it lightly, giving it a yank. Emma screamed in pain, her eyes widening, her mouth still unable to speak, as her jaw slowly came back together.

Cordelia smiled at her, twisting more. "This is your last warning," Cordelia whispered before lowering herself back to the ground.

"Tell the guilty ones who created you or next time I'll plunge a stake through that big heart of yours and turn you to dust for all eternity."

She turned to leave while Emma dangled there, then turned back with a big smile to add: "Daylight is in just a few hours. I suggest you find a way down from there."


	6. Hideaway

**Hideaway**

Feeling lighter than ever, Regina stepped outside after bidding Ruby goodnight.

"I can't believe I've just poured my royal heart out to a werewolf," Regina had said before she left.

Ruby nodded. "We have an irresistible charm about us," she assured.

Regina chewed the corner of her lip. "Listen, Ruby...can we...?"

"Keep this between us?" Ruby asked. "Of course! Nothing wrong with a little bit of girl talk," she winked, and her eyes went wide with sudden thought. "Actually, I probably will tell Belle. I tell her everything though," she said honestly, her face lighting up again.

Regina sighed. "I can't have Rumpel-"

"No, she won't tell him," Ruby assured, and Regina left not feeling a speck of regret for sharing her feelings.

It was still dark, and Regina looked at the enormous city clock: 3:28 A.M. She wondered where Emma was and if it'd be worth it to go looking for her again. She decided against it, but she'd be giving Miss Swan a serious talking to next time she saw her, and of course there would be a next time.

She knew in her broken heart that she would never forsake Emma, even if it eventually got her killed. Regina Mills was not afraid to die, especially for her family.

Yet as she walked to her house in the still of the night, she was astonished to discover Emma standing on her front porch waiting. Regina crossed her arms, stopping twenty feet from Emma, narrowing her eyes at her.

She was shocked when, without a word, Emma zoomed forward and placed a wooden stake in Regina's hand, pressing the point to her own chest.

"Emma," Regina breathed. She pulled back, holding the stake the same way she had clutched the Dark One's dagger: a thing she didn't want; white knuckles all the way.

"You've been drinking," Emma said.

"Can you blame me?"

Emma looked away sadly. "I want this to be over, Regina," she said. " _Destroy me._ "

Regina examined Emma and saw several holes in her clothes, not to mention there was a hole in her chest still healing. Regina tilted her head and realized she could see through the hole, and it suddenly closed up slowly before her eyes.

"What happened to you?" Regina asked.

"I got the ass kicking I deserved," Emma said. "It doesn't matter...about earlier-"

"What were you thinking threatening me like that?" Regina asked, arms crossed, and eyes blazing. "After all I've done, were you pushing me away...trying to hurt my feelings?" Regina asked. "Because if so: you've succeeded," she said, her expression going from wide eyed pain to pouty to finally cool indifference. "Fortunately my feelings regenerate five times faster than a human woman's. Comes with being an _other worldly Queen_ ," She added vainly tossing her hair and looking away dramatically.

Emma scoffed laughing softly, marveling at Regina's ever expressive face.

"What are you laughing at, Miss Swan?"

"I'm sorry," Emma said still smiling, unsuccessfully stifling a giggle. "It's just...you made me feel like I was myself again just now," Emma said smiling brightly.

"Emma, you're still you," Regina said. "You're just-"

 _"Actually, without you I'm not me at all, Regina."_

A pause: a breeze that froze time as it passed slowly.

" _I'm in love with you, Regina_ ," Emma confessed suddenly. _Okay Swan, that's way too many times you've said her name_ , she thought looking down, brow furrowed, hands adjusting her belt or something.

Regina froze like a gazelle caught in headlights, her coffee eyes wide. A long twenty seconds passed as she tried to reconcile hearing the thing she wanted to hear most from Emma.

"I can't hide it anymore," Emma explained innocently. "With my new hunger, this new power, the fact that I literally died...fuck me Regina I just... _I love you_. I love you like the day is long! Like Shakespeare!"

"Who's Shakespeare?" Regina breathed, eyes still wide with amazement.

"No one important," Emma went on. "I love you like I could never have loved Hook! He wanted me to, but...I just couldn't, but you are so happy with Robin I just...clung to the nearest option." She said breathlessly.

"I think about you constantly. One time Snow, my mom, caught me reading a book about how to raise a child with another woman. I learned magic just to impress you," Emma admitted.

"Fuck! I hate magic," she went on. "But more than anything I want to make you happy, I know you thought it was just some silly phase with Henry, but truly all I've ever wanted was to make _you happy, Regina_. Now everything is just so fucked up! It's not fair! I know you must think it's absurd, but every long, cold second I have spent dead I have just been wishing so hard I had told you how I felt when I was alive," Emma confessed, as scarlet tears began to run down her face, creating an exquisite contrast against her cool blue eyes.

"So please," she knelt before Regina, taking her hand and pointing the stake at her own chest. "I know I'm pathetic. Please just put me out of my misery."

Regina Looked down at Emma with the stake in her hand. She lifted the point high in the air, and suddenly set the wooden stake ablaze in her and, crushing the coals and letting the cinders fall to the earth. She took Emma by the shoulders of her dirty, red leather jacket and pulled her up, finally kissing her with every ounce of passion she had been holding back through all the years.

Emma was amazed to feel Regina holding her, kissing her, and she closed her eyes and surrendered to the sweet feeling, wrapping her arms around Regina's waist. They kissed like they were starving for one another, and time stood blissfully still.

"Emma," Regina breathed, looking down.

They weren't standing on the ground, but hovering twenty feet in the air.

Regina laughed softly, enjoying the feeling of being weightless in Emma's arms.

"Is this another dream?" Regina asked, her eyes wide and vulnerable.

"This isn't a dream," Emma answered softly.

Regina suddenly pulsed with joy in Emma's arms as they floated slowly through the air. "It's really true?" Regina asked. "You love me?"

"I love you," Emma said again. "I, Emma Swan, _love you:_ Regina Mills."

"How long?" Regina asked, and Emma couldn't believe the bliss of hearing the high sweet tones of Regina's sultry, breathy voice. She had spent years admiring Regina's expressions and tone changes. Her low tone power voice: sexy and authoritative, threatening and violent.

"Do you remember the day we met?" Emma asked.

"Yes: all I could think was who is this woman here to ruin my life, and why does she have to be so damn intriguing," Regina confessed, holding Emma a little tighter. "Not to mention incredibly sexy with a style unlike any other's."

Emma smiled shyly, and if it were possible she'd have blushed. "Well, all I could think was: yes, yes this woman is the mother of my child. I used to get so frustrated around you because you clearly had no interest in me, and I...have been hopelessly in love since Henry brought me to you," Emma said.

"No interest?" Regina said. "Emma, there were some days I couldn't go five minutes without thinking about you. I told myself it was hatred...and then...I used the word friendship, but...in my heart I always knew you were the thing I wanted most."

They kissed passionately hovering through the starlit sky.

Down below, two were watching. One was Ruby, who admired the full moon through her wolf eyes, and she caught Regina and Emma's sweet kiss silhouetted against the moon. She grinned, threw her head back, and gave a joyful howl.

Not fifty yards away Robin stood in Hook's apartment and looked at the moon through the window, watching Regina and Emma kiss. A rage filled him. He suddenly threw the half empty bottle of rum he'd been drinking against the wall with an angry howl.

Though Regina and Emma did not hear them.

"Let's go home," Regina said, as Emma slowly set them on the ground.

"Home?" Emma asked, a single red tear falling from her cool blue eyes.

"Home," Regina assured again, taking Emma by the hand. "Henry's inside sleeping. He's missed you."

They crept slowly up the stairs like cats, and Regina turned and wiped the blood tear from Emma's face before knocking softly on Henry's door. "Moms!" They were both startled when he suddenly opened their door. He hadn't been asleep at all! He rushed into Emma's arms and held her tightly. "I missed you!" he said.

"I missed you too," Emma breathed, her eyes filling with red tears, which she frantically tried to blink away. Henry looked between Emma and Regina.

"Are you home now?" he asked hopefully, looking at Emma. "You'll sleep here all day, right?"

"Is that what you want?" Emma asked, a red tear falling despite her efforts. She quickly wiped it away. "Even though I'm a monster?"

"You're not a monster," Henry said definitely, looked at her with the pure love of a child's. _"You're my mom."_

He took Emma's hand and lead her into his room where there were shelves and shelves of books on vampires. Regina stood in the threshold leaning her head against the door jamb watching her family, and she realized she felt a total peace unlike anything she'd ever experienced.

 _This is happiness,_ she thought. _Finally._

"Here, try this," Henry said as he handed Emma a lavender blossom. Emma inhaled it and felt and instant soothing rush run through her. She was calmed in a way that made her feel human again.

"What's that?" she asked, totally amazed.

"Lavender," Henry said. "It's like cat nip for vampires. Oh! And look at this!" Henry opened one of the oldest looking books on the shelve to a picture of a ring that looked like a serpent swallowing it's own tail. "This is the Ring of Avalon," he said.

Emma narrowed her eyes at Henry. "That's kind of sweet, kid...but I'm not so into jewelry."

"What about jewelry that lets you walk in the sunlight again?" Henry asked smartly.

Emma's eyes widened. "Henry that's brilliant!" she said, and Henry beamed proudly. Henry took Regina's hand, then Emma's and lay on his bed reading from books together, sharing facts. Emma and Regina made eye contact as Henry read to them, and Emma squeezed Regina's hand behind Henry. Eventually Henry yawned.

"Ok, kid," Emma said, getting up and tucking him in. "Only one hour until dawn." Henry nodded sadly.

"You promise you're staying here," he said.

"I promise," she said firmly, kissing him goodnight.

"Operation Family has been a total success so far," Henry said to Regina as she leaned in to kiss him goodnight.

"Yeah," Regina said softly. "Listen, I haven't slept in a week, and I know we usually get together in the mornings, but how about we sleep in today. Have breakfast in the afternoon?" Regina asked.

Henry nodded with a yawn. "Sounds good, mom. "I've been up all night keeping watch for you," he said giving a sleepy smile, and Regina felt her heart lift with pride. _He must get that from his mother_ , she thought. Henry turned over on his side as Regina shut his door, and just before it closed Henry saw Emma take Regina's hand in the light of the hall way and turned over, smiling with relief into his pillow.

Regina ran Emma a warm bath and added Lavender oil, after learning it soothed vampires. She turned the lights down low in the bathroom.

Emma stood completely still, her blue eyes locked on Regina's chestnut eyes, as Regina slowly undressed her. Gently taking her torn red leather jacket off, Emma raised her arms as Regina pulled her ripped, dirty, bloody white tank top off. Unzipping her jeans, kneeling and pulling her boots and socks off.

They never took their eyes off one another as Regina stared passionately up at Emma, when she hooked her fingers into the waist of Emma's jeans and pulled them down. Emma stepped out of them and kicked them to the side, standing before Regina naked. Regina pulled her body against her and kissed Emma softly. It was a thrill for Emma to be completely bare while Regina still wore her black pants and button down.

Regina took Emma's hand and guided her to the bathtub, laying her down in the soothing water, and kneeling beside the tub lightly pouring warm water over Emma, washing the dirt and the blood from her arms and back. She washed Emma's hair and poured warm water over her scalp and Emma closed her eyes in ecstasy. When she was finished, she drained the tub, rinsing Emma one last time before wrapping a soft towel around her.

Regina peeked her head out into the hallway and could see the sky outside was turning gray with the first light. She waved her hand and blackout curtains appeared everywhere, shielding Emma from the sunlight as she followed Regina, holding tightly to her hand, into Regina's bedroom.

"You know," Regina said. "You'd be safe here, but there's an even safer place where no one will ever be able to find you," Regina said. "I've never told anyone about it."

Emma nodded solemnly. "Show me," she said.

Regina held her hand out to Emma. "Bite me," she said.

Emma hesitated.

"My blood is the only way to open the door," Regina explained, and Emma sank her fangs into Regina's palm as gently as she could, stealing a taste: Regina tasted like sweet apples and wine. "I've never done this outside of my vault before," Regina said.

She closed her eyes concentrating, and Emma watched curiously as she reached blindly forward, summoning her hidden realm. Regina felt static as she brought the door closer, and finally her bloody hand clasped the doorknob and she opened it. She took Emma's hand and lead her side the invisible door, closing it behind them.

They may as well have been gone from reality.

"What is this place?" Emma whispered into the dark.

"It's a hideaway I built for myself after I lost Daniel," Regina said. "I've never showed anyone, and it can only be accessed with my blood."

Emma pricked her finger on one of her fangs, taking Regina's hand and healing her puncture wounds. "Thank you," Regina breathed.

"Here," she took Emma's hands. "While you're sleeping here: this place is yours. Close your eyes and listen to my voice. Feel the ground you're standing on: fell it hum with life."

Emma concentrated, found Regina was right: she seemed to be standing on a buzzing floor, and felt herself suddenly connect to the room as if it were a faithful servant.

"Now manipulate it: create anything you want."

Emma envisioned a perfect place to sleep, and suddenly a double wide, purple coffin with velvet plush for lining appeared.

"Really?" Regina raised her eyes. Emma gave a dark smile, and suddenly the coffin turned into a heart-shaped mattress. "Ok, the coffin was better," Regina said, and Emma stifled a laugh changing it back.

"Anything you need can be created here," Regina explained leading Emma to her coffin.

"This is amazing," Emma said, climbing in and Regina smiled proudly, pulling a lavender flower from the room and placing it beside Emma in the coffin. . "Thank you, Regina," she whispered. "I am going to fall asleep now, and when I do you won't be able to wake me until nightfall. Don't be alarmed if I appear well...dead."

"I understand," Regina said, pulling a black satin sheet up around Emma's naked body.

"Stay with me for a little?" Emma asked. Regina nodded, slipping her clothes off. Emma held her hand out for her and Regina stepped into the coffin, as Emma wrapped her arms around her from behind and held her tightly. The lid dropped slowly on its own and Regina felt Emma's body stiffen. "I love you," she whispered into Regina's ear, and then she was gone.

Regina closed her eyes, setting an alarm to be woken by 1 PM, and finally, blissfully, fell into sleep.


	7. Red Snow

**Red Snow**

Beaming with joy and ease Henry and Regina walked out of the Mayor's house holding hands. They decided they would have a late breakfast at Granny's and meet up with the Charmings who had texted them several times that morning already.

They did not see the very angry, very drunk Robin Hood watching not twenty yards away. He had found a stick and carved it into a stake meaning to find where Emma slept and end the madness she had brought upon his family once and for all. She had killed his friend, and somehow hypnotized Regina into thinking she was in love. He waited until Henry and Regina were down the road before heading towards the house, clutching the pointy stake in his hand, and letting himself in with the key he still had.

Unlike Emma he didn't require an invitation.

Regina smiled at Henry as he set his cup of hot chocolate on the table, and she let out a laugh. "What's so funny?" he asked smiling.

"You have whip cream," Regina said gesturing towards her mouth.

"Oh," Henry said mischievously, his eyes lighting up. He wiped his chin, purposefully missing the glob of whip cream above his lip. "Did I get it?"

Regina shook her head, giggling, still pointing towards her mouth.

Henry kept wiping all over his face still missing the cream with a grin. "What's wrong?" he asked. "It can't still be there."

With a laugh Regina finally leaned over wiping it away quickly with her napkin. "Thank you," Henry said. "Oh, wait, I see something on your face," he said, leaning over, and before Regina could stop him he dabbed some whip cream on her cheek.

'Henry!" she said laughing, wiping it away.

"What's going on here?" Ruby asked approaching the ruckus. "You two look happy," she said, giving Regina a sly smile.

"Yes," Regina nodded, shamelessly beaming. "We are very happy."

"So good to hear that," Ruby said knowingly. "You want your usuals?" They nodded eagerly and Ruby left to put their orders in.

"There you are!" Snow said charging forward like gale force winds, Charming in tow. "We have been looking for you all morning."

"Hi Snow," Regina said cheerfully. "Want to join us for afternoon breakfast?"

Snow flinched. "Ok...what's going on and where is Regina?" she gave Henry a weirded out look and Henry shrugged happily.

"Mom came home last night," he explained. "She's safe, and we were up all night talking so we slept in."

Regina lowered her eyes blushing mildly, which Snow caught.

"Up all night talking?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. There was a tense silence as Snow zeroed in on Regina.

"Let's have breakfast," Regina said, trying to look as unassuming and innocent as she could. "Then we can talk about you seeing Emma tonight."

"Good idea," Charming intervened. He put his hand on Snow's arm and gave her a light squeeze. She looked at him and he nodded, so she let out a sigh and sat down with them. Regina and Henry told how Emma had finally come home, how they had talked through the night.

"And now she's safe sleeping home," Regina said, and Snow had never seen her look so happy.

"What are you smiling about?" Snow asked narrowing her eyes again.

"Oh...I'm just...smiling," Regina said innocently licking her spoon and looking away. She couldn't make eye contact with Snow.

"Just because Emma's safe?" Snow asked.

 _And I slept with her naked body wrapped around mine after hearing her whisper she loves me over and over again,_ Regina thought smiling to herself, her whole body vibrating with joy.

"Where's Robin?" Snow asked suddenly, like dropping an anvil from the sky.

Regina's heart seized up.

"Ow!" Snow said after Charming had kicked her under the table. "I just want to know what's going on," Snow said defensively. "I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

"He and my mom had a fight," Henry said simply, still chewing pancakes. "I heard the whole thing. Mom was upset Emma was missing. He wanted her to go with him back to the old land, and take me, and mom said she couldn't do that to mom...my other mom, Emma," Henry explained taking another sip of hot chocolate. "He left," he shrugged. "It happened the night mom came back as a vampire."

Regina lowered her eyes frowning as Snow's chilly disposition finally melted. "I see," she said, calming, examining Regina, who still couldn't look at her.

"I haven't seen him since," Regina admitted. "I really have no idea where he is," she added. Snow nodded putting her hand gently over Regina's, and Regina finally looked at her and they shared a sweet look, finishing breakfast.

Mean while, the missing Robin Hood walked through Regina's house looking for where Emma slept. He started with Regina's bedroom, but found nothing. He went to the guest bedroom, and there was still nothing there. He stormed through the house getting angrier and angrier with every step. He checked every closet and every room, even Henry's. He checked the crawl space in the attic and found nothing but dust. He went out to the garage and found a hammer, and he began to pry up the floorboards to Regina's bedroom.

Regina and Snow left Charming and Henry at the diner, and once they were at a safe enough distance, she put her hand on Snow's and evaporated them in a puff of purple smoke into her vault. Snow gasped, looking around.

"Why are we here?" she asked immediately.

"You said you wanted to help Emma," Regina explained. Before Snow could say another word Regina took her little knife, which she had clipped to the waist of her pants, and sliced her palm open. She closed her eyes and held her bloody palm out.

"What are you-"

"Shh," Regina snapped. "I have to concentrate."

Snow watched curiously as Regina called her little room to her, yanking the door knob forward. Snow's eyes widened as Regina's bloody hand closed around what seemed to be a kind of knob, and with a pop a little room suddenly formed. Two double wide doors which were dressed with weapons on the inside.

"See," Regina said, wrapping her hand with a black cloth and tying it tightly. "Now," she sized Snow up. "This," she indicated her outfit. "Will not do." She snapped her fingers and Snow was dressed in her old outfit from her bandit days. "Hmm..." Regina raised her brow. "Doesn't really suit you since you changed your hair." She gave another wave of her hand and Snow's brown color schemed turned to black with hints of deep red. "Way better," Regina nodded.

Snow looked at Regina like a deer caught in the headlights. "Oh, I'm sorry," Regina said, and a bow and a quiver of arrows appeared over Snow's shoulder. "Almost forgot."

"Now my turn," and Regina swirled with purple smoke coming out dressed in a hunting outfit like Snow's, but she had her swords strapped to her hips in place of a bow.

"What's going on? What do we need these weapons for?"

"For hunting," Regina said.

"Why are we getting dressed like we're going to the old world?" Snow asked, still miles behind.

Regina only held out her hand. "Come," she said without explanation. "There is much to show you."

Snow wasn't sure what to think as she stared at Regina's outstretched hand. She felt a quivering of fear run through her, but then she thought of Emma. Emma her daughter and child: the one she would do anything for, the thing she loved most, and she felt the rage and sadness over what had happened to her seize her heart with an iron grip.

Snow took Regina's hand, and allowed Regina to pull the door shut behind them as they were sealed into the in between of their new world and their old.

Meanwhile, Robin Hood and pried up every board in Regina's bedroom, and had found nothing in the floors. He knew Emma had to be sleeping in the Mayor's house somewhere. He had watched them go in together, and been there to be sure Emma hadn't left before sunrise. He picked up a hammer and pressed his ear to the wall. It occurred to him Emma wouldn't have a heartbeat, and so he began to swing wildly creating large holes.

"What is this place?" Snow asked into the expansive void of the little realm Regina had constructed.

"For now it's Emma's new crypt and source of food. Here," and they were lead forward until Snow saw a large purple coffin with a glass top.

"Emma," she breathed, tears forming in her eyes, as she pressed the palms of her hands to the cold glass.

"See there, Snow White, she's safe and sound. She'll be awake soon enough, and when she is she will be hungry," Regina said, turning Snow away from the coffin and leading her up through the trap door into the old world.

Snow stood and took a deep breath smelling the grass, the horses, and the magic that hummed through the air.

"You've been bringing Emma food from the old world," Snow concluded looking around wildly.

"That's right," Regina nodded with her eyes wide with sarcasm, she bit her tongue to keep from making a sassy remark. She needed Snow on her side, and she knew she had to make the effort to get along especially considering her requited love for Emma.

They mounted two horses, saying hello to very well dressed young Hester who assured them they had constant full access to any horse they desired. Regina mounted Evil and Snow chose a horse of a caramel color with a fire white mane. As they traveled Regina recounted capturing the Blind Witch and Medusa for Emma.

"So you understand," Regina said as they trod lightly through the black forest.

Snow nodded. "You're feeding Emma monsters," she said.

"And today," Regina went on. "We are taking down a monster of a different color." She lead Evil to a tree hidden a few yards from the road. "We have to continue on foot," Regina explained, as they secured their horses.

As they walked through the forest Regina was swept into another memory from Camelot. She'd been tied to a tree when Emma had come to save her, and she felt her secret smile spread a little too wide. She had been taken by Emma's moon colored hair, and hung on every sharp word uttered from Emma's gorgeous red mouth.

Dark one, vampire, sheriff: Regina would take Emma _anyway_ she came.

Regina had been wet, thrilled to be found with her hands tied behind her, and fantasized in that moment that Emma would put a sleeping spell on everyone while she refused to release Regina commanding her to beg all while she hiked Regina's red gown up and-

"What are you smiling about?" Snow asked bitterly, bringing Regina back like a wet blanket.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Regina said, her voice deep with intrigue. Snow looked down frowning and Regina sighed, and stopped putting her hand on Snow's shoulder. "Snow...I know this whole thing with Emma has been especially hard on you, but _I promise_ we're going to do everything we can to keep her safe and help her. She's going to need you to be strong, and I know you and I haven't always had the best relationship-"

"That's one way of putting it," Snow scoffed, and Regina nodded with her brow raised.

"Having said that," Regina went on. " _We're still family_." She gave Snow's shoulder a squeeze. "We've _always_ been family."

Snow heaved a sigh and put her hand over Regina's on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Thank you," she said. "I know you've been helping Emma a lot, I just...I feel so...so-"

"Angry?" Regina asked. "Helpless? Frustrated? Like you hate this is happening and you want to hit something _really hard?_ "

Snow narrowed her eyes sternly, reminding Regina of Emma briefly, and nodded. "It's awful," she admitted darkly.

"For what we're about to do: that rage will prove to be useful," Regina said solemnly.

They came upon the edge of the forest which opened wide into the south grounds of King George's castle.

"What are we doing here?" Snow asked.

"I told you we're hunting," Regina said pulling her sword, giving a wicked grin towards the castle. "And today this kill is all yours. Follow me."

Snow felt a chill run through her as she knocked an arrow and they carefully hurried towards the castle walls, hugging the cold stone brick to stay out of sight. There were guards at every corner. "There's no way in," Snow said.

"Yes, we could be bothered enough to throw a hook line over and scale the gate, but fortunately there's one little detail that is written just to make matters like this possible," Regina said in an excited whisper.

"What's that?" Snow whispered keeping an eye on a guard who only needed to look down to discover them.

"Well, I'm a witch aren't I?" Regina placed her hand on Snow's arm and they evaporated appearing just outside of the King's private bathhouse.

"What are we doing here?"

"It's almost time for the King's afternoon bath," Regina said.

Snow looked from the castle and saw a little boy hobbling miserably towards the bathhouse. He was filthy and looked as if he'd been beaten recently. "Regina, you need to tell me what's going on right now," Snow said.

"Well, I figured we could kill two birds with one arrow so to speak," Regina said haughtily. Snow's jaw tightened as she pressed Regina against the wall, again reminding Regina of Emma and even giving her chills.

"I am not going to take the life of that child!" Snow said in a mad whisper through gritted teeth.

"Of course not," Regina said smiling smugly again; she was excited, and the angrier Snow was the easier this would be for her. "But you will be taking the life of a monster," she explained, and Snow looked behind her shoulder to see King George walking out in a silk robe lined with gold towards the bathhouse the child had just walked into. "Let me show you something," Regina said.

And time stood still as Snow was swept back to some thirty years before, and she was being dragged by King George's guards. They offer her water to drink, and inwardly Snow was crying out to herself not to drink the poison, but like a spectator watching a carriage wreck there was nothing Snow could do to stop it.

"Remember this," Regina whispered darkly, appearing like the devil on Snow's shoulder. "This is when the King threatened the life of something precious to me," Regina said.

"Something precious?"

"To _us_ , I mean," Regina corrected quickly. "Em _ma_ ," Regina said, and Snow's brow furrowed at the love she felt in Regina's tone when she said her daughter's name. "If it weren't for Ruth," Regina went on. "Emma would have never been born." She turned Snow away from the memory and brought them back to where Snow was holding a bow with an arrow knocked.

"And the child?" Snow asked.

"Well," Regina said, looking towards the King. "There are some evils so great even _I_ pale to think of them."

Snow felt her stomach lurch with nausea which turned to a white hot rage as she looked towards the King. Regina didn't need to spell it out for her. The child was some poor local farm boy taken from his family and forced to do unspeakable things with the sadistic King. "Ok, do it," Snow said looking at Regina.

"This one's all yours," Regina said darkly, giving a nod towards Snow's horse bow. "Be sure not to kill him, just wound him...as many times as you like," she whispered, turning Snow to face her target, who was still frozen in time.

"I don't know about this," Snow said.

"There's no use resisting _who you are_ , Snow White," Regina breathed into Snow's ear, her grip tightening slightly on her arms from behind. "Emma needs to eat, and all you're doing is removing scum from the old world. She'll be thrilled to drain the life from a man who once poisoned her mother, threatening the life of her own child. Think of Henry, Snow. He wouldn't be here if it weren't for Ruth, and you'd all still be under my curse."

Snow felt a fire rise from the dark spot on her heart as she lifted her bow, setting the arrow in her sight. "There are guards on every corner, the second I loose my arrow-"

Regina backed away, her eyes glowing. "I've got your back," she assured Snow, a fireball alighting in her hand. Snow looked back at Regina and Regina nodded sharply at her. Snow turned, arrow string pulled tightly back, and Regina released her spell holding time as the grotesque King continued his stride.

He looked up and just caught sight of Snow for a split second before she released her first arrow, hitting him directly in the foot. He opened his mouth and bellowed a pained scream trying to pull his foot from the ground where the arrow held him pinned.

The guards turned surprised, preparing to strike, but Regina sent a fireball their way blasting them back as Snow walked slowly towards the King revealing herself, giving a hard gaze.

"Surprise," she said. "Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me." She released another arrow and the King raised his hand, the arrow piercing him right through. He screamed and screamed as a fleet of guards ran from the castle doors towards the bathhouse. Regina stomped her foot and cast a great circle of fire around Snow and the king, deciding it'd been a while since she got any fencing in.

"Hello handsome," she said pulling her sword on a guard who charged angrily towards her. She met his sword with her own, turning and pulling her second blade, whipping around and slashing his back open, covering her own face with spots of his blood. She smiled darkly, licking her lips and raising her swords above her head.

Snow released another arrow hitting the king in his right shoulder. He fell crying pathetically and Snow stood mercilessly over him, shooting another arrow right into his gut. She looked up to see Regina fighting the guards, one was sneaking up behind Regina as she held her swords against another. Snow released her arrow and it went through the guard's throat. He fell dead and Regina paused to give Snow a wicked smile.

She ran towards Snow, jumping bravely through the fire. "This has been fun," she said throwing the chains onto the wounded King who lay there in helpless, wide eyed shock. She turned, holding a fire ball in her hand, breathing into it so the flame fanned out like Dragon's breath blowing every guard back like an explosion.

"Time to go," she said, and Snow looked behind herself to see the innocent child peek his head out the door of the bathhouse.

He saw the King lying at her feet like a grotesque pin cushion and suddenly gave a bright smile. Snow was surprised to feel her own mouth curve into a smile, as she gave the kid a nod, and Regina placed her hand on Snow's shoulder and they evaporated, reappearing with their horses.

"How are we gonna get him home?"

"Magic," Regina said. "Although I am tempted to drag him, I don't like to serve Emma food with dirt all over it. I do like how you've transformed him into a kind of appetizer on a toothpick." Regina said, her dark humor coming forth.

Snow regarded the weeping man on the ground, stuck with four arrows.

"How's it feel?" Regina asked, watching Snow as she gazed down at the soon to be dead King George. She had hunted him, she had shot him down, and now she had every intention of serving him up to her blood thirsty daughter.

"I don't know what I'm feeling," Snow said. "It's unlike anything else. Not good. Not bad," Snow explained slowly. She looked Regina directly in the eyes and Regina saw a strength there she had never witnessed before. She suddenly felt a deep appreciation for Snow.

"We have always been different from each other," Regina said quietly.

"Well," Snow said, her eyes brimming with silent tears. "Now I don't feel different from you. _I feel different from myself._ "

Regina took a breath and stepped forward putting her arms around Snow White. "I'm glad you're with me, Snow," she said. Snow nodded into her shoulder leaning her full weight into Regina as she allowed one single tear to fall for the person she no longer was.

 _Family indeed,_ she thought.

"Let's go home," Regina said. "The sun will be down soon."

"Yes," Snow said solemnly as they mounted their horses. "And Emma will be hungry," she said looking down at King George tied like hog for the slaughter.

Robin Hood sat on the floor of Regina's ruined house, knocking his head backwards against the wall. He'd searched everywhere for Emma, and it occurred to him that Regina had her shielded somehow. He'd pried up all the floorboards, even the ones running through hallways, he'd knocked out all the walls. The place was a mess, and the damage was out of control.

He needed to think fast before the sun came down because if Emma woke while he was there she would surely kill him as easily as she had killed Hook. He pulled his achy and starved body up. He helped himself to a long swallow of Regina's scotch, and felt his headache instantly dull. He carried the crystal bottle of whiskey with him as he returned down to the garage and eyed the gallons of gasoline sitting in the corner.

King George limped helplessly forward. Regina handed Snow the chain at the edge of the wood. She had let Emma out of her crypt to fly hungrily through the woods. "Are you coming?" Snow asked taking the chain.

"I'm right behind you," Regina said respectfully and she watched as Snow took a breath and bravely lead the chained man into the thrush of the woods. Regina kept a few paces back as not to intrude.

"Emma," Snow called softly into the night. Emma's blond hair appeared some distance away and she shot forward like ping pong ball suddenly appearing before Snow, making her heart skip.

"Hello mother," Emma said darkly.

"Oh thank god!" Snow dropped the chains and threw her arms around Emma. "I've missed you," she said, flinching by the feel Emma's cold body, but held her tightly none-the-less.

"What's this?" Emma asked giving a nod towards the King in chains.

"Dinner?" Snow said. "He's the man who poisoned me...he gave me poison that made it impossible to have children, but I got lucky and someone with a very giving soul chose new life over her own, but if it had been up to him you would never have been born. He also...has been abusive towards children."

Emma's eyes lit up red, and Snow watched her with fascination as her long fangs extended forward.

"You did this for me?" she asked Snow.

"Emma," Snow said crying human tears. "There isn't a single thing I wouldn't face to keep you alive, and with me. With us," Snow said glancing back at Regina, who stood yards back among the shadows of the trees, the pale moon light touching her skin in slashes.

"We're family," she said. "Please don't ever disappear from my life again. I don't care if you grow horns, Emma. I love you as my own, my blood," she said pressing her hand to Emma's chest, where a hollow thump knocked back against her palm. "Come what may," Snow said. "We must stay together."

Emma stood shaking as a red tear fell from her red glowing eyes. "I love you, mom," she said. "I'm sorry. I've been so ashamed. I feel like-"

"Like you barely recognize yourself," Snow said. She glanced towards the wounded King, going over to him and removing his chains. "I know all about that," she told Emma. She gave the King a good kick and he hobbled up, attempting to crawl away.

Back through the woods Regina watched, arms crossed, leaning against a tree, with a soft gaze.

"This is who we are now," Snow said solemnly. "Go on, go get him," she said to Emma, who smiled with bright blue eyes through red tears.

Snow watched as Emma zoomed forward running through the trees. Regina waved her hand healing the king and dissolving Snow's arrows. King George stood suddenly touching where his wounds were, suddenly smiling like a fool and making a run for it.

He didn't get very far before Emma was jumping around him like a spider taunting her prey.

She pushed him against a tree and Regina and Snow watched with intrigue as she lifted him by the throat with one hand. They were both startled when the King pulled a hidden dagger he kept strapped to his wrist and plunged it into Emma's stomach.

Snow gasped taking a step forward, and Regina took her arm stopping her. "Just wait," she said.

Emma grinned through big fangs looking from the tiny dagger in her stomach back up at the King, giving a wide eerie smile. "You're gonna have to do better than that," she said, and she threw him like he weighed nothing, pulling the dagger from her stomach. She walked over to King George and propped him against a tree, moving like the wind and winding chains around him, keeping him in place, his feet not touching the ground. She suddenly plunged the dagger into the King's throat.

"That was for my mother, Snow White," she told him. "And this is for me," she said, pulling the dagger like a cork from a wine bottle and opening her mouth to the rush of blood that sprouted forward like she was a child drinking from a garden hose.

Snow watched with wide eyes and a thrill rushed through her as Emma sunk her fangs into the King's arm draining him entirely, finally ripping out his heart and drinking the last bit of blood. She brought the heart over to Snow, blood down her face and front, and held it out like an offering to her, crushing it to dust in her palm.

"You ruined my shirt," Regina said, and Emma looked down at the mess of blood and huge ripped hole, which revealed a perfectly healed flat stomach, on the silk button down Regina had lent for her to wear. Emma smiled like a kid caught playing the mud.

"Oops," she teased.

Snow felt the electric current in the air and looked between Regina and Emma smiling at each other like they were...in love? She was about to ask what Emma was doing wearing Regina's clothes when a powerful, sudden aroma of smoke filled the air.

"What's that?" Regina asked.

Suddenly, there was a shout that cut through the night: a sound of child, crying helplessly.

"Henry!" Regina breathed, and Emma took off like a shot towards the commotion. Regina took Snow's hand and they evaporated in a puff of purple smoke and they stood with their mouths hanging open appearing before the Mayor's house which was engulfed totally in flames.

Charming was there holding Henry back as he cried and pulled trying to run into the house.

"Nooooo!" he was screaming helplessly. "Maahhhhhmmm!"

Emma was there like a flash, instantly lifting Henry into her arms. "It's ok, kid," she told him, hugging him tightly as he held on to her.

"Mom!" he wrapped his arms around her, his body flooding with relief.

"Shh, don't worry," she said.

"What happened?" he asked wiping the panicked tears away. "I thought you were inside!"

"I was and I wasn't," Emma said, setting him down. "Your mother...it was some kind of spell that kept me safe."

Henry took Emma's hand and they walked to where Regina and Snow stood in shock. They came together: Charming, Snow, Regina, Emma, and Henry and all stood closely with wide eyes as the Mayor's house burned to the ground.

Regina began to weep sad tears. "Who would do this?" she asked.

She waved her arm, as her tears fell, and the sky broke open above into a great storm, raining on the flames and snuffing out the fire.


	8. Beasts

**Beasts**

Black charcoal against a green background, on a grey rainy day.

Regina walked through the wreckage of her home feeling sorrow run through her body. She was still wearing the same outfit she had been wearing the day before. They had all gone over to Snow's in shock, Henry had finally fallen asleep, and Regina tucked Emma into her coffin just before dawn.

They hadn't said much to each other, but Regina was resentful something like this had to happen just at the start of their newly discovered love. She was eager to connect with Emma physically; her flesh was on fire to feel Emma pressed against her.

 _She still loves me though_ , Regina thought with a smile, and she walked through the rubble of her used-to-be home, and stood where her front door used to be, a blackened frame was all that was left, and she had a flashback of the first time Henry had brought Emma to her.

Henry had been missing, and Regina had been worried, but she had been sitting home wishing she didn't have to feel so alone. It turned out destroying happiness, and living with the very souls you once condemned and hated wasn't exactly fulfilling.

 _I had been wishing I didn't have to be alone anymore and then Emma showed up_ , Regina thought seeing her stand there shyly looking at Regina, hands on her waist, wearing that sexy red leather jacket, asking for something stronger than apple cider.

The memory dissolved and fell apart, just like Regina's mansion, and Snow White came into view as she approached Regina gently, holding two cups of coffee. Regina gave Snow a sad smile, and Snow simply extended the coffee without a word.

"Thank you," Regina said quietly. Snow nodded and looked around.

"Thought I'd find you here," she said.

It was true after Regina had laid Emma to rest she had gone in to watch Henry sleep for a while before numbly leaving to look at the ruins of her old home as the sun spread warmly through the overcast sky.

"Who could have done this?" Regina asked.

"Do you think it's the vampire who turned Emma? I mean who else would want to destroy something so precious to you?" Snow said, looking around.

It hit Regina like an ice pick through her heart when she remembered she hadn't seen Robin Hood. _Had he done this? What was he trying to do?_ She had a good idea of where he was staying, and she knew it was time to finally end things officially with him. She had been distracted, putting off talking to him, and now look.

Regina decided it would be best to keep the idea to herself.

"When's the last time you had any sleep?" Snow asked, bringing her back from her thoughts.

Regina smiled softly at her. "About 27 hours ago," she admitted. Snow put her hand on Regina's back and they took in the charred remains together.

"Why don't you come back home, Regina?" Snow said. "Get some rest, and then we can figure out who did this, who to feed Emma..."

"Home?" Regina asked, looking at Snow.

Snow gave a soft smile with a firm nod. "Home," she said with such gentle certainty it brought tears to Regina's eyes and she let Snow White lead her from the wreckage. They made breakfast together in silence, and eventually Regina did fall asleep on Snow's couch, and woke just an hour before dusk to Henry giving her a sad smile.

"Oh," Regina said sitting up, stretching. "Guess I needed that."

Henry nodded.

"I'd better get something for your mother," Regina said, and she went to her vault and looked through the stolen hearts she kept there. Snow was with her, watching curiously.

"This one," Regina held a large heart up. "Is from the great General Kale. He did some work for me, but like many of my dark allies, eventually turned against me. I ripped his heart out to keep him from strangling me."

"Why didn't you kill him?" Snow asked.

"At the time I used it for leverage, but there's nothing I want from him anymore, or any of these lost souls. Most of them are dark, but a few could stand to be returned," Regina said stuffing more dark hearts into a sack for Emma.

Snow looked around numbly when she spotted a black lock-box on the top shelf with a layer of dust on it. She could hear the heart beat within. "Who's heart is this?" she asked.

Regina turned. "I have no idea," she said. "It was found among my mother's possessions, and believe it or not I haven't even opened it. There's a spell around it that would take hours to dismantle, and I can't even destroy it. I've tried burning it, shattering it, freezing it, and nothing works."

Snow looked at the box curiously, as Regina continued stuffing hearts into her sack, and they turned to leave together.

"The strangest part," Regina went on. "Is that my mother, unlike me, was not a collector of hearts. If she pulled a heart she crushed it in the next second, or after she'd used it for gain, but I can't imagine why she'd want to...well protect the heart of another."

"How strange," Snow said following Regina out, and Regina turned and they apparated back to the Charming residence. Henry and Charming were at the library trying to find more information on vampires. All of Henry's notes and books had been burned in the house, and they had to start all over again. Regina didn't explain why she wished to go wake Emma alone, but she felt Snow's eyes like lasers on her back when she walked away from her. She went into Henry's room, slit her palm open, and entered her little realm, being sure to close the entrance behind her, her heart racing with anticipation.

She walked in and went to Emma's coffin, raising the lid. Emma lay asleep and vulnerable and Regina watched her for a moment before leaning over and gently kissing Emma's mouth. Emma stirred wrapping her arms around Regina and pulling her into the coffin playfully.

"My love," Emma breathed into Regina's ear, and they held each other tightly. Emma felt Regina's pulse throbbing with life against her, and her fangs sprung free. She pushed Regina back. "We have to stop," she said gripping her tightly and shaking. "I'm too hungry to be this close to you."

Regina looked darkly at Emma, her fangs out with that cannibalistic hunger in her red glowing eyes. It intrigued her, but she relented, rising from the coffin and retrieving Emma's food for her.

"What's this?" Emma asked.

"Something akin to a box of chocolates for a vampire," Regina said shyly. Emma smiled reaching in and puncturing her fangs into the hearts, drinking them until they turned to dust. Each one was like a dessert for her as the heart held the sweetest mixture of blood and emotion. Regina watched when Emma finally finished the last heart of the eight she'd served her. "Has that satiated you?" Regina asked, taking a tissue and wiping blood from Emma's mouth and chin.

"It should get me through the night," Emma said, staring at Regina. "You are so beautiful," she breathed.

Regina scoffed, blushing lightly.

"I've always thought you were gorgeous, but up close like this you are just... _stunning_ ," Emma said, taking Regina by the waist.

They kissed passionately, holding on for dear life. _At last_ , Regina thought as a bed formed in the center of the realm. Emma kissed Regina's throat feeling the pulse of life rush through her when suddenly her fangs sprung forward. She backed away covering her mouth.

"Dammit," she said. "I thought that would stop after I fed."

"Emma," Regina said sternly, taking Emma's hands, looking into her deep blue eyes. "Don't turn away," she said bravely, kissing Emma carefully at first, adjusting to her fangs. It wasn't so difficult, and Emma melted once again as Regina pressed her onto the bed taking off her jacket, unbuttoning her shirt.

They couldn't get their clothes off fast enough for each other. _Finally_ , Regina thought, as Emma frantically unbuttoned Regina's purple shirt and pushed it down her arms exposing her neck and shoulders, yet keeping her hands behind her back.

Emma hesitated kissing Regina's neck when Regina locked eyes with her again. "You won't hurt me," Regina said bravely. Emma kissed her, kissed her face, running her fangs lightly over Regina's neck, but never breaking her flesh. Finally undressed, Regina straddled Emma while sitting up, taking her hand and guiding it between her legs.

" _I want you inside of me_ ," Regina breathed as Emma stroked Regina lightly, teasing her. Emma stopped pulling her hand back and biting into her own wrist, holding the cut against Regina's mouth.

"But I'm not injured," Regina whispered, her eyes wide with arousal and wonder.

" _We will be one_ ," Emma said darkly, and Regina drank tasting Emma's vampiric blood, which was like drinking liquid gold. She drank it and felt her flesh burn with power. She felt Emma's body so close to hers it was as if they truly were apart of each other as Emma pushed Regina onto her back, hiking Regina's legs around her waist.

Emma wanted to taste Regina more than anything, but she held back, kissing her, biting her lightly eliciting moans of pleasure as Regina writhed beneath her begging Emma to take her. Emma ran her hand down from Regina's neck, over her naked body, down her ribs, and finally between her legs where she was wet and hot.

Emma stroked her gently before slipping her fingers inside, which caused Regina to cry out in pleasure as she lifted her hips against Emma's hand moaning in a breathy whisper: "Harder, harder please."

Emma obliged, but she took her time going very slowly, controlling the rhythm, on her knees in front of Regina she leaned over and kissed Regina slipping her tongue into her mouth, and lightly tugging Regina's silky dark hair with her free hand. Regina felt shocks of pleasure roll over her body in waves as Emma did as she begged thrusting harder.

"Oh, Emma," Regina breathed looking at Emma above her. "I love you," she said between kisses. "I love you so fucking much."

"Mmm," Emma breathed into Regina's ear lightly biting her earlobe, licking her playfully and enjoying the feel of Regina shaking with pleasure beneath her. "I love you," Emma answered, kissing down Regina's chest, over her stomach, and finally between her legs. Emma hesitated, looking up at Regina, her fangs bear.

"Do it to me, Emma, I want you to. I'm not afraid," Regina moaned hotly. Emma delicately began to lick around Regina's edges being careful with her fangs, and Regina laughed with pleasure, taking Emma's soft blond hair in her hands, spreading her legs wider for her.

Regina tasted delicious to Emma, and Emma tried to go slowly, lapping her tongue in light, perfect, circles, but Regina thrust her hips into her mouth, and Emma hesitated afraid she'd bite Regina.

"Please don't stop," Regina begged, and Emma lost control. Her eyes grew red as she penetrated Regina with her tongue, teasing her, and returning to service her clit as Regina screamed against the shocks of pleasure pulsating through her flesh until a wave hit her like a tsunami and she cried out coming at last. Emma drank every drop, finally reaching up to hold Regina who shivered with ultimate satisfaction, falling into a deep sleep where she again witnessed that every living thing in the whole of the universe was connected.

Emma watched her sleep, simply thrilled with how unbridled Regina had been. _She must have been wanting that for as long as I have_ , Emma thought. Only the bravest of witches would thrust herself against the open mouth of a vampire. Emma smiled, touching Regina's hair lightly.

Not an hour later, Regina awoke to see Emma lacing up her boots and getting ready. "Where are you off to?" she said, sitting up on her hands and looking at Emma with her dark, wide eyes. She was pleased to find Emma knew how to manipulate their realm, and had conjured up some new clothes for herself. A black tank, pants, and lace-ups, with a new red leather jacket.

Emma looked at Regina and simply wanted to go to her. "I...have something I must attend to," she said quietly instead. She sat beside Regina on the bed, kissing her softly. "And don't you need to find your Robin Hood? Finally settle that issue?" she whispered.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I suppose so," she said, rising.

She pulled a black silk robe from the air and wrapped her body, and when she turned to face Emma she was startled to see Emma directly before her quick as a zooming flash, kissing her. "Please know it is not easy for me to leave you now," Emma said.

"I know," Regina said softly, kissing Emma's hands. "Meet me at dawn?"

"Yes," Emma said. Her brow twitched with sudden thought. "I...I love this place, but I don't like that your blood is the only way in and out. Can you change it? I don't like the idea of being trapped if something were to happen to you. How could I even get out to help you?"

"Have you so little faith in me?" Regina said.

"How many times have I saved your life?" Emma asked.

"I'd venture to guess as many times as I've saved yours," Regina retorted. "Although," she added. "I can see your point. I'll think about it."

"Thank you," Emma said sweetly, kissing Regina softly on her throat, then her face, finally kissing her full on the lips. Regina pushed Emma back towards the bed, and Emma's fangs sprung free.

"We have to stop," Emma said smiling.

"I know," Regina said kissing her. "But I don't want to. I don't want to ever stop." Her chocolate eyes matched Emma's. " _I love you, Emma. I never want to be without you again."_

"As you wish," Emma whispered, kissing her one last time. Regina opened the door with her blood and watched Emma leave, finding herself in Henry's room. She crept quietly downstairs to see Snow and Charming asleep on the couch. She thought about waking Snow, but didn't want to worry her. Instead, she borrowed her mother's bow and arrows; she'd need it. On her way out to the woods, she wondered where her son was.

"Hi Red," Henry said brightly sitting at the bar. Red turned and gave him a smile.

"Hi," she said.

Henry smacked a now rare book on vampires on the bar. Red walked over and eyed the book suspiciously. "I'm just gonna cut straight to the chase," Henry said. "How long has it been since you've had a hunting companion; another beast to run free with through the night?"

"Never in this world," Red admitted.

"Right," Henry said. "But my mom, Emma Swan, as you know, is a vampire," Henry said proudly.

"Do werewolves and vampires get along?" Red asked.

"It's heavily debated throughout history. In some areas werewolves trade the blood of a vampire for protection, but trust me things would get awkward for you if you did that with my mom. In other places werewolves hate vampires, but for the most part, werewolves and vampires have a pact to protect each other," Henry explained.

Red narrowed her eyes. "You think Emma would want anything like that with me?"

"You could ask her," Henry said, with a mischievous smile. "Isn't tonight a full moon?"

Emma walked bravely into the forest with an arrow knocked. "Cordelia!" she called. "Cordelia!"

A high pitched laugh came in response. "Emma Swan," Cordelia called.

Emma released and arrow into the darkness of the East. Cordelia caught it just as it nicked her coat. "Nice shot!" she said. She jumped down from her hiding place and Emma shot her again. Cordelia caught the arrow and snapped it in two, charging Emma faster than the speed of light.

Emma was on her back with the wind knocked out of her, Cordelia pressed the broken arrow to her chest. Emma's fingers closed over a jagged rock nearby and she smashed Cordelia over the head as hard as she could, springing up.

Cordelia laughed and when she turned Emma saw a large gash quickly healing over her face.

"My your in high spirits, Emma Swan," Cordelia said, gaily. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You know exactly what you did," Emma growled hatefully, and she lunged at Cordelia again. "How could you burn her house down?" she cried as they leapt from trees into the sky, flying at each other. Emma uprooted a great tree, lifting it like Super Woman and throwing it, hitting Cordelia in the chest and crushing her down against the earth. Emma flew to the uprooted end of the tree and jumped up and down on it like a pogo stick crushing Cordelia again and again. "You! Vicious! Evil! Cunt! You took away her home! My son's home! Fuck you!"

Cordelia rolled her eyes and took the tree by both hands, lifting it herself and flinging Emma off the top like flicking a fly away with a swatter. Emma hit a sycamore hard and slid down.

"I forgot how slow baby vampires are to heal," Cordelia said, picking splinters from her fingernails watching Emma's exposed rib cage regrow flesh. She went to Emma and squatted down before her like an evil gargoyle.

"You think I burnt your Queen's precious mansion down? As if," Cordelia said haughtily. "I'm planning something far worse for that selfish little whore." She picked Emma up by her jacket and threw her up into the tree where she hit her head landing on her spine over a branch. "I dare say you're barking up the wrong tree, Emma Swan," Cordelia said with a vicious laugh.

Emma got up, feeling her spine pop back into place. She threw herself off the branch and landed like a cat before Cordelia who stood nonchalantly against a tree.

"The hatred I see in your eyes for me is touching," Cordelia said. "Let's kiss and make up."

Emma raised her fist high in the air, lunging with a cry.

Regina raised her arm, making a fist, took a breath and knocked on the door of Hook's apartment. There was no answer, and so she pounded harder. "Fuck off!" Robin cried from inside.

Regina rolled her eyes, and melted the door knob off with a fireball, walking in. "Is that any way to greet a lady?" she asked.

Robin looked at her, sprawled out on the couch, empty bottles of rum littered the floor. He brightened mildly at the sight of Regina. "What have you done to yourself?" Regina asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Robin said darkly. He pushed himself up and walked to Regina. Regina flinched, already smelling it had been days since Robin had had a shower, and he'd been drinking more than he'd been eating. He was skinny with gross stubble, pale, and a far cry from the man she had fallen in love with.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you, Regina!" Robin bellowed suddenly. "I saw you in the air with _that thing, kissing her_ ," he spat bitterly.

Regina flashed back suddenly to her feet leaving the ground in Emma's arms the night Emma had come to her. Regina had been so high on her suddenly requited love for Emma she didn't event think about the fact they were basically on display for the town to see. The moon had been bright, and she'd bet Red had seem them too.

 _Who else?_

Regina sighed and nodded understandingly. "You saw me with Emma," she said.

"That thing is not your friend anymore," Robin said gruffly.

"This has not been easy for any of us, but I assure you Emma is still Emma...just-"

"She ripped Hook's throat out, Regina! How can you say that?!" Robin screamed. He suddenly grabbed Regina roughly by the arms and knocked her against the wall, taking the wind out of her.

"Are you one of them?" he asked. "Has she turned you?"

"If she has," Regina managed. "I suggest you back off right now."

She looked at Robin and saw a fury she had never beheld in him before. His eyes were black, and totally unknown to her, and for the first time in a long time Regina felt afraid. She shoved Robin back with a kick and made a run for the door. She was astonished to feel him grasp a chunk of her hair and fling her backwards.

Emma landed on her back under the weight of Cordelia when she suddenly felt Regina's panic run through her. She had been fighting with Cordelia, but now all she wanted was to get away. She began to struggle frantically.

"Uh oh," Cordelia said, eyes bright, holding Emma down. "Is something bad happening to your human?" She gave an evil laugh.

Emma used all of her weight to push Cordelia off, when Cordelia's jack hammer fist made jaw breaking contact with Emma's jaw.

Regina Mills had never been hit so hard by a man before, and she couldn't tell if she was in pain from the physical violence or if it was the fact that of all men to be so rough why did it have to be Robin? She'd expect this kind of abuse from a guy like Hook, but Robin? Her gentle hero?

The man she had loved had knocked her back and when she had sat up to defend herself he had swung his fist making contact with her jaw. She was so stunned to taste blood on her lip, and she looked at Robin: _how could you?_

The second passed and Regina went into survival. She just wanted to get away from him, and her head was pounding. She could feel the bruise forming along the side of her face, and her vision blurred as she struggled to get to her feet and run towards the door. She puffed into a cloud of purple smoke, but Robin lunged at her at the last minute jumping on her from behind and they both appeared in a tussle just outside of the woods. Regina grasped handfuls of dirt and grass trying to pull herself forward.

Emma felt her hands close around a stick as she dug from the earth trying to get Cordelia off of her. She jammed the stick into Cordelia's arm shoving her off.

"You're gonna have to do a lot better than that, Emma Swan," Cordelia said, pulling the stake from her arm. She was healed within an instant. "Like this," she said, raising the stake and lunging for Emma who was desperate to get away.

There was a sudden howl and a crash, when Cordelia was knocked on her ass by a giant wolf which leapt forward seemingly out of nowhere.

Emma stood frozen and watched with wide eyes as Red clawed Cordelia's face off with one swipe of her huge paw. She began to chew with enormous jaws at Cordelia's shoulder and Cordelia screamed in pain. It was the first time Emma had seen Cordelia bleed with an emotion other than sticky petulance and cruelty. She eventually managed to kick Red off of her, who appeared in her human form with Cordelia's blood running down her mouth.

"Bitch!" Cordelia screamed through a bloody hole where her face should be, and finally zoomed off into the night.

"Thanks," Emma said to Red. She suddenly felt those violent chills of fear and remembered: " _Regina._ " And took off before Red like a flash, leaving her on her own, tasting vampire blood in the moonlight.

Robin turned Regina on her back, straddling her, and holding her wrists down. "No!" Regina cried, feeling his oppressive weight on her. "Please don't!" Instantly she was brought back to her first wretched marriage. 16 years old all over again, powerless, begging a man to stop. How did she let this happen?

Robin found a nearby rock as Regina kept struggling, and lifted it high above his head.

 _Emma_ , she thought as Robin hit her over the head hard, splitting her ear and deafening her, she felt something break in her neck and she couldn't move. Her vision blurred, but did not go completely black. She heard nothing but a ceaseless ringing as she watched Emma appear like a dark angel from the sky and lift Robin from the back like he weighed nothing. She threw him hard against a tree. He got up and scurried off.

Emma was above Regina, saying her name, holding her tightly and rocking her gently.

"Emma," Regina croaked weakly, shaking with pain as tears ran down her eyes. "I can't feel my legs."

Emma ripped her own wrist open with her teeth. "Drink," was the first clear sound Regina heard as she tasted that liquid gold blood rolling over her tongue and her pain slowly began to dissolve. Regina felt the bones in her neck click back into place as she wiggled her toes with relief. Emma bled all over Regina's face, healing the cuts and the split in her ear from where Robin had hit her.

"You're going to be ok," Emma promised. She bit Regina's palm open and thrust her hand forward until Regina's fingers closed over the knob to the realm. The door opened and Emma stood picking Regina up like she was a child in her arms, and laid her safely down on a feather mattress fit for a Queen.

Regina mercifully fell into a deep slumber and Emma drizzled more of her blood over her body to make certain she'd be fully restored when she woke up. She bled into a golden cup that appeared beside the bed with the inscription Drink Me on it. Vampire blood for breakfast should make her feel strong and healthy. Emma watched her one true love for a moment breathing safely as a single red tear streaked her own face.

How could Robin have done this to Regina? Emma had been certain Cordelia had burnt Regina's house down, and in fact it had been Robin all along. A rage so white hot and so powerful filled Emma's heart as she went to the open door, and closed it tightly behind her insuring Regina's safety.

She sniffed the air and could feel Robin still in the thick of the woods. She went to him and stood before him, fangs out, and eyes red. She had given Regina quite a bit of her blood, and she was as hungry as the first night she'd awoken in her new form.

"Robin Hood," Emma said darkly. She could smell he had a toxic level of alcohol in his system, and had very nearly lost his mind. She didn't care. She knew what must be done.

"Emma," Robin Hood said. "What did it feel like to suck the life out of the man you once claimed to love?"

"Tried to love," Emma corrected, that rage pulsing violently through her. "I don't remember. _What did it feel like to beat the woman you once claimed to love within an inch of her life?"_

Emma suddenly shot forward and lifted Robin by the throat before he could even flinch. "Because I know what it felt like for her. She felt nothing but hatred and fear towards you, and a total confusion as to how she ever loved you in the first place!" Emma cried.

"No!" Robin choked.

"I felt everything she felt, Robin," Emma nodded gravely. "My blood flows through hers, and so I can tell you all she felt was trauma, sorrow, and regret having wasted any time with you at all when all the while you're no better than King Leopold himself."

She brought him down to drain him as he kicked and squirmed like a worm on a hook when suddenly both of them were smacked over.

Robin Hood scurried up again and ran.

Red and Emma were there. "What the hell are you doing?" Emma asked Red. She got up and moved to chase him.

"Now, Emma," Red said diving in her way, appeared in human form again. "I know Regina is with you now-"

"How do you know that?" Emma asked, eyes wide. "It doesn't matter," she moved to get around Red still chasing Robin when Red jumped on her back again. Emma scurried up and they chased each other through the forest until Emma finally pinned Robin against a tree, punching him in the face and throwing him several yards away where he stayed down.

She walked towards him, bent on draining the life from him when Red leapt in her sight line again, landing in her human form, and held her hands up.

"Emma," she warned. "You can't kill a guy just because he dated your girlfriend once. Regina wouldn't like it!"

"Regina," Emma clarified. "Is lying somewhere safe healing bruises and cuts and broken bones because of that beast for a man," Emma said spitefully pointing in Robin's direction.

Red's eyes darkened instantly, and her hands twitched as her wolf claws sprang forward. "He what?" she asked, her tone deep with rage.

"I found him on top of Regina. Who knows what he would have done to her, but I know she feared for her life and I had to give her over a pint of my blood just to heal her. He hit her over the head with a rock, broke her neck, and was straddling her like he was about to-"

Red put her hands up disgustedly; she didn't need to hear anymore. She suddenly shared Emma's desire to do the worst, and Emma had never seen Red look so scary as her jaw dislocated replaced with enormous wolf fangs. She gave Emma sharp nod and the great wolf appeared at Emma's side giving a hateful growl as they walked slowly towards Robin Hood who lay defenseless on the ground.

Red mauled Robin ripping off his ears, and one of his arms, throwing it over to Emma who drank it like Red had thrown her a beer at Granny's. Emma drained the arm and watched with pleasure as Red took all her rage out on Robin, his heart beating faintly in his chest.

"Red," Emma called softly seeing the great wolf raise her paw. Red turned with a growl. "Save me some," Emma smiled softly in the moonlight. The wolf lifted Robin above its head standing on her hind legs and threw the near carcass at Emma, who drained every drop, and instantly felt like she'd drank a fifth of scotch. She sat numbly with Red petting her soft blood spotted coat, until the threat of dawn pressed them forward.

They left Robin's remains to deal with later. Red walked Emma to the Charming residence. "How did you know Regina and I are together?" Emma asked. Red smiled.

"The love between you two has always been obvious to Granny, but then I saw the two of you kissing, flying through the air," she explained.

Emma laughed, stumbling. They arrived and a very worried Snow White answered the door. "What have you been up to all night?"

"Mom!" Emma cried gaily, smiling with blood matter down her chest. "How do you get a vampire drunk?" she slurred.

Snow rolled her eyes. "How?" she asked, suppressing a smile.

"Feed her a drunk monster!" Emma laughed obnoxiously at her own joke.

"Let's get you inside before the sunlight touches the earth," Snow said, pulling Emma in. She looked at Red. "Thank you," she said. Red smile and Snow hesitated. "Umm...you have a little something on your-" she indicated her chin and Red looked down to see her entire front was matted in blood, chunks of flesh, and dirt.

"Better get home before anyone sees me like this," she said with a wink, like woman returning from an all night rave.

Meanwhile, Robin Hood lay barely clinging to life in the forest, a mere fifteen minutes before sunlight. He lay with his tongue ripped out, one arm missing, his spine certainly snapped, eyes wide open feeling nothing but pain and agonizing for death to finally come.

"Oh what have we here," came a light, soft voice. Cordelia leaned over what was left of Robin and gave a soft laugh. Robin's eyes went wide at the sight of her.

"You might come in handy later," Cordelia said, and she slit her wrist open and held it over Robin Hood's mouth.


	9. Wake Up

**Wake Up**

Snow lead Emma down the hall to the spare bedroom where she'd hung blackout curtains in case Emma ever needed a place to sleep. She gave Emma a light shove and Emma went over onto the bed with a laugh. Snow smiled lightly, cleaning the blood from Emma's mouth with a warm washcloth and helping her get undressed all while Emma looked at her with a sleepy, drunken smile.

"Guess what mom," Emma said as Snow tucked her into bed.

"Do tell," Snow said brightly. She took joy in helping Emma, and thought this could have been a night when Emma was in her teens coming home drunk from the ball telling Snow about her latest crush if only things had been different.

"I'm in love with Regina," Emma said innocently, her blue eyes wide with wonder.

Snow froze save for her mouth dropping open as the color drained from her face. A few seconds passed. "Um...when you say you love her...?"

"Like...I want to marry her and raise Henry as our own together, and take my clothes off with her," Emma explained, her speech slurring. "Probably everyone does. She's so fucking hot, am I right?" She held up her hand attempting to high five Snow, who stood with her mouth hanging open.

"Do you...are you...?"

"Regina loves me too," Emma said simply. "We spent half the night together. It was magical," Emma exhaled laying back in total ecstasy passing out into her dead state leaving Snow hit with a ton heavy new knowledge she wasn't sure she'd ever recover from.

She stood over Emma, aware of the sun rising on the outside. She had a flash back of Regina's rage towards King George.

 _He threatened the life of something precious to me._

 _To you?_

Snow saw a flash of Regina's wide eyes, filling with love and a thirst for revenge on behalf of Emma. The little scar on her lip prominent, as she smiled the kind of smile when one knows they finally have true love's kiss.

Everything suddenly made sense, and she stood there alone wondering how she hadn't put it together before. She saw every crucial moment between Emma and Regina in a flash. The day Emma stood up against the town for Regina. The night she told them with such fervor: _she's not dying._ The way Regina had looked at Emma.

The way Regina had absorbed every painful wave of the dark curse Rumple had put over the well so they could all arrive safely. The way Emma had refused to leave Regina alone to sacrifice herself for the town to absorb an explosion from the diamond. And of course the day Regina had let Henry and Emma go to build a happy life filled with happy memories. Snow had seen the sadness in Regina's eyes as Emma and Henry had driven away, and she had thought it was for the loss of her son, but it was for the loss of her family.

 _Emma and Regina are already raising a child together, Snow White,_ she thought to herself. _How could you be so ignorant?_

She went to the door, left, careful not to let a slash of light into the room, and opened her eyes towards the sun.

Regina saw a white hot flash of sunlight, followed by a vision of Robin Hood raising a rock over his head, as she sat bolt up right with a scream. She raised her arms blocking herself before she realized she was alone.

"Emma," she breathed, and sprung up with such force it was like leaping to her feet. Naked, and confused she looked around wildly. She was in her realm, _but where is Emma?_ She raced to Emma's purple coffin, startled to feel her feet moving so quickly it nearly gave her whip lash, to find it empty. She tried to remember how she had come to this place.

She remembered Robin, loosing his mind and grabbing her by the back of her hair. Emma had saved her, but where was Emma now?

Regina went back to the bed and found a golden cup filled with cool vampire blood, Emma's blood. She picked up the cup to see it read Drink Me engraved on the front. A voice within her flesh urged her to drink. Emma's blood wanted to be inside of her, and Emma had left it for her after all.

Regina brought the gold cup to her lips and the velvet smooth blood ran over her tongue, and dripped down the corner of her mouth. As she drank, images and memories raced through her. She saw herself through Emma's eyes the day they met, and felt a rush of excitement as she dropped the goblet and closed her eyes.

Her blood was liquid fire, and her body vibrated with power. She felt such rage, such joy, and above all such hunger.

She emerged outside of Snow's apartment. _Home,_ she thought stretching her arms. She had dressed in a comfortable button down and slacks. She knocked on the door, and Snow White answered giving Regina a mystic look, her brow raised.

"We were wondering where you were," Snow said.

"Where is Emma?"

Snow silently lead Regina down the hall, stopping to close every curtain, before opening the door and letting Regina see Emma sleeping in the dark. "Safe and sound," Snow said, and Regina nodded relieved.

"When did she come here?"

"Last night," Snow recounted. "She and Ruby both showed up covered in blood, just before dawn."

"What smells so good? I'm starving," Regina said, stepping inside.

"I made coffee," Snow offered. "And breakfast."

Regina tasted the coffee, and it was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. She saw the life of the coffee bean inside a single second. The rough, olive skinned hands that had dug them from the ground, harvested them, washed them, and finally roasted them. She felt the life, the joy that went into every drop.

She felt the cinnamon thriving with life tucked into the bark of the tree before being discovered, and made. Every speck still aged and lived like a bottle of wine.

"Mmm," Regina said, closing her eyes in ecstasy. Snow sat opposite her, sipping her black coffee, and looking at Regina through narrowed eyes.

 _My former mother in law soon to be my future daughter in law,_ Snow thought with a strange smile as she watched Regina drink her black coffee with a sprinkle of cinnamon like it was best thing she'd ever tasted.

"What's going on with you?"

Regina looked at her ravenously. "You said you made breakfast," she answered.

"Yes, and in exchange I want to know what happened last night," Snow said firmly.

Regina gave Snow a dark smile, and nodded. "Very well," she agreed. Snow made Regina french toast with sliced cold apples and maple syrup. She made her eggs over easy with butter, and spicy sausage with grilled asparagus.

She sat across from Regina and watched her eat like the food was made of magic. "This is incredible," Regina said gaily.

Snow smiled lightly at her, until at last Regina's plate looked as if it had been licked clean.

"So," Regina said. "Robin Hood is dead." She watched the color drain from Snow's face, and she realized she could hear her heart as her pulse raced. "At least I'm guessing he's dead," Regina admitted, she held up her mug. "More coffee?"

Snow rolled her eyes, and acquiesced to Regina's request.

"Emma saved me," she went on. "I went to talk with Robin, maybe try and help him get back home since he hasn't been happy here. He attacked me...I tried to get away, but I panicked. He hit me over the head and broke my neck. Emma saved me, and gave me over a pint of her blood to heal me-"

"She gave you her blood? _How intimate_ ," Snow said pointedly.

Regina froze, before shrugging. "It was the only way to save me. You know Emma...she'd have done it for anyone. Anyway," Regina rushed on, feeling the heat of Snow's narrowed gaze. "I don't really know what happened after that. I woke up safe, and here I am. I didn't see Emma kill Robin, but I doubt she left him alive."

"How could she?" Snow asked leaning forward, noticing Regina wasn't even in tears in regards to the death of Robin. " _He threatened the life of something precious to her_ ," she said knowingly, raising her brow deliberately at Regina.

Regina might as well have been a rabbit caught in the headlights as Snow stared her down.

They heard the front door open. Charming took a few heavy steps forward as Henry ran in after him.

"Mom!" he called when a saw Regina, he ran into her arms. She held him, and when she placed her hand on his back she felt his life force racing through him.

"Hello you," Regina said. "Did you sleep on the couch last night?"

Henry nodded with a soft smile.

"Well," Regina said. 'Last night your mother and I ran into quite a sticky situation and she ended up giving me a good amount of her blood to save me. Do you want to run some tests?"

Henry lit up like a Christmas tree. "Yes!" He took a breath. "I have so many questions! C'mon!" He took Regina's hand and they raced to the backyard.

Charming saw the look on Snow's face.

"What's going on?"

Snow shook her head still mystified. "You'd better sit down," she said.

In the back yard of the Charming residence, Henry had set up a kind of obstacle course which started at the old tree stump where Charming occasionally chopped wood for the fireplace.

"Mom has super human strength," Henry explained. "So with enough of her blood, you should be able to match her power."

He handed Regina a wooden log and watched her expectantly. Regina raised her brow. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Rip it in half," Henry said.

Regina scoffed, and looked at him: _Really?_

"Just try it," Henry said. "It's only me here."

Regina grasped the end of the log with her fingers, digging her nails into the wood, and pulling from either side. To her surprise the log came apart like a piece of cardboard.

"Whoa!" Henry said. "How much blood did she give you?"

Regina laughed, and Henry opened his phone, taking a video. "Let's see how high you can jump," he said, excitedly. Regina could scale a tree within a minute like a wild cat. She could lift a car with one arm. She could crush stones in her hands and lifted the chair in Snow's living room above her head.

All the while Henry laughed, recorded her, and took notes.

"How long will this last?" Regina asked.

"It's hard to tell, but I'd estimate a solid twenty four hours before it starts wearing off," Henry said.

"Hm," Regina said narrowing her eyes, and looking away.

"What are you thinking?"

"Is there any way vampires can track one another?"

"Only if a vampire makes a new one out of a human," Henry said. "Vampires can sense and smell each other just like any monster knows its own kind."

"That's something," Regina crossed her arms in thought and Henry could see the wheels turning in his mother's dark mind. He opened his mouth to repeat his question, but Regina asked:

"What about curing Emma? Any new information on that front?" She looked at Henry with wide eyes, and Henry wondered where the passion was coming from.

"I lost a lot of information I hadn't had a chance to read in the fire," Henry explained. "But so far the only answer I've found sounds impossible."

"Try me," Regina said.

"Well," Henry went on. "We have to kill every vampire on this earth, starting with the one who turned mom in the first place. We kill that one, then we kill that one's maker, and so on and so on until every last one of them is gone. Once they are, mom can return to her human form."

Henry watched Regina turn pale as her heart sank. "And how many vampires do you suppose walk this earth at night?"

Henry sighed. "Judging by all accounts it could be...millions."

"Millions," Regina breathed in such rage. She began to shake, and her eyes lit up, a dark purple with anger over everything that had happened to Emma. Henry took a quiet step back noticing the changes.

"Well then," Regina said darkly, still shaking yet again with vengeance over a loved one, snapping off a branch from a nearby tree like it was nothing. She held the pointy end up and turned to Henry. "I guess we'd better get started."

Henry narrowed his eyes at her.

"Come on," Regina said holding her hand out to Henry. Henry took it hesitantly.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"To find Red," Regina answered, and they disappeared.

Red greeted them with her usual bubbly joy. Regina and Henry sat at the bar, and Regina asked Red what had happened the night before.

"Oh well...when I found Emma she was fighting with the vampire that made her. It looked really intense," Red said, and Regina was surprised to see flickers of imagery in her mind as Red spoke, as if she could see Red's thoughts, but it was blurry.

"It was a crazy battle. That vampire had Emma down and I just charged," Red recounted.

"What did she look like?" Regina asked.

Red bit her bottom lip hesitantly. "I don't know...I kind of ripped her face off before I could get a good look at her."

Henry looked away stifling a laugh and Regina nodded, "Of course you did."

"Oh! But I did catch her name," Red added quickly.

 _"Cordelia!"_ Regina called into the wood, standing just at the edge. They had left Red, and Regina had told Henry to keep Emma busy when she woke up.

Regina could hear the night creatures as skittered and crawled through the trees, and when she looked up at the sky she could see every star and every planet. She felt strong, powerful, and above all angry.

She smelled the other vampire on the opposite side of the wood. She felt her stir, and come towards her with her own evil grin. Regina was not afraid, and felt hungry for the fight. She intended to bring the head of Cordelia to Emma on a platter, or maybe she'd carve the dead heart out and bring it to Emma in a box. That was more her style after all.

She spread her hands out, and they lit up like never before. Bright, enormous streaks of fire, tall enough to graze the sky.

Bravely, ready to fight, ready to kill the Evil Queen walked into the woods.


	10. Witch vs Vampire

**Witch vs. Vampire**

Regina's hands were on fire when she paused briefly, to reflect on her wardrobe. She was going in for a kill. She truly meant with rage and passion to end this vampire's life, and she needed to empower that dark side of her in every way.

She took a breath, and changed into a long rose red gown with tied black lacing around her waist, and shoulder pads that pointed up. "That's more like it," she breathed, her eyes still glowing that deep purple. Her hair was tied up high with a pony tail that draped down her shoulder. With Emma's blood running through her she felt every inch of her own flesh like never before. Spells, memories, all came rushing forth in her mind. Her senses were enhanced even beyond her other worldlyness.

"Cordelia!" she called bravely. She felt the darkness of the wood surround her, and she was comfortable. Vampires could see in the dark, she realized, and this power combined with her own mage sight made everything crystal clear.

A sudden laugh echoed through the trees, and Regina ran forward realizing she wasn't running at human speed. She was zipping forth through the air starting at thirty miles per hour, pushing herself. She stopped, sweating and panting for a moment. She might have just run a 5K. Any doctor would have been very interested in examining what was happening to Regina physically. Her temperature was dropping low, and her heart rate was so quiet she could have played dead, and yet her blood pumped through her with the same force as an ocean wave.

When she zoomed forward running she was fast, but if she used her magic to reappear she moved like a firework zapping out in less than a second only to explode forth.

"Well, well, well," came a familiar voice. Regina froze, opening her ears. She didn't move. She knew that voice, and it shook her to her core.

"You think because you have some of your lover's blood flowing through you that you can take me?" Another proud laugh, and Regina waited patiently allowing her powers and her hatred to grow. Her hands glowed blue, the flame hiding itself as much as it could.

Cordelia materialized at last, and Regina for all her wrath and for all her anger was suddenly astonished. "Mother?"

"Yeah?" Emma called over her shoulder at Henry, as he came bounding down the stairs.

Emma had been surprised when she had awoken in Henry's bed and Regina hadn't been there to greet her. Henry had made a bunch of excuses for Regina (seeing another house, picking out an engagement ring "yeah right kid" to she's planning a surprise for you) and Emma had agreed to leave Regina to whatever she was really doing, as she and Henry hadn't spent any time together since she'd been turned.

"Do vampires play laser tag?" Henry asked playfully holding up a pair of plastic guns. Emma smiled.

"I am not your mother you stupid girl," Cordelia said hatefully to Regina.

"So is this one of your cheap glamour parlor tricks?" Regina asked, the blue flame fanned out around her hands, threatening to explode at any moment. Regina held back with all her might as Cordelia circled her.

Cordelia had come forth, and Regina had been surprised to see the face and the eyes of her mother, Cora, staring back at her. She knew though, this was not her mother. There were subtle differences between them.

"Oh, child," Cordelia said condescendingly. "You really don't know anything about your own family, do you? Well," she came close to Regina and her fangs sprung forth. Regina did not flinch. "Let me tell you a story," Cordelia placed an icy grip on Regina's shoulder, and Regina was taken back decades before she was even born. To the night of her mother's birth.

She saw her grandparents, murmuring and arguing. Their voices were faint, and far away. _Two? We can't keep two!_

 _Two is too many._

 _How did you even have two?_

 _Twins...can't keep twins._

 _Must rid ourselves of the evil one._

Baby Cora and Cordelia lay side by side, perfect mirror images of each other. Identical twins.

Cordelia was ripped away, taken suddenly by her miller father. He put her in a basket and pushed her down the creek. _What a cliche,_ Regina thought. Beneath the white hot rage pulsing through Cordelia Regina also felt the abandonment, the loneliness, and her heart ached for her aunt.

Cordelia knocked Regina on her back, clutching her throat with one hand. Regina was not afraid, as she took her aunt's wrist and held it, listening.

"It took all of my life, jumping from world to world to find your mother, my missing half, my one true love, and by the time I had it was too late! Your evil cunt of a step daughter had poisoned her heart, and just when Cora and I were beginning to connect! Years robbed from my past due to my own pathetic parents weakness, and now you and your new family have taken our future. We could have been unstoppable together! We had plans. She took my heart when we were teenagers, locked it in a box. It was my gift to her."

Regina was swept suddenly into another memory. Her aunt's hands covered in blood as she left her own mother, bleeding from her chest on the floor. She was clutching a black blade, and she cut her own father's heart out.

"I killed my parents for separating me from my sister, leaving me to die when I was only an infant. They thought they were getting rid of the evil one, but the loneliness your mother was forced to grow up with poisoned her soul anyway. She was made ruthless at the thought of leading a poor miserable life. She was always worth so much more! What a pair we would have made, two evil twins!"

Regina felt a cold tear slide from the corner of her eyes, as she tightened her grip on Cordelia's wrist. "I'm sorry," she choked, the heat already rising from her hands. "I know what it feels like to lose one's true love, but coming after _my_ family was not the answer," and Regina released all the power that had been growing in her hands blasting Cordelia back the length of a football field setting her on fire.

Regina was up like a flash already where Cordelia was lying, the flames just going out. She stood up laughing like a maniac glaring at Regina, as her charred flesh melted whole again, healing.

Regina bared her teeth in response, clutching a wooden stake in one hand, and they charged each other.

"Surrender!" Henry called jumping onto Emma's back as they tussled to the ground.

"Never!" Emma called, lifting both herself and Henry and flying to a great height. She suddenly dropped him, and flew directly down to catch him and set him gently down again, his gun flying out of his reach as he laughed.

She pointed her own laser gun at his chest. "Give up?"

"No way. I'm like my mom," Henry said.

"How so?"

"I fight dirty!" He laughed as he rolled over and pulled a second gun from the back of his jeans, firing it at Emma, and making a run for it.

"Hey," Emma thought before chasing after him. "Which mom are you talking about?"

Regina loved the way Emma's vampire blood gave her the ability to fly as she and Cordelia zoomed through the night attacking one another. Cordelia's super human strength and speed was no match for Regina's ability to wield fire and electricity. Not to mention with Emma's blood Regina could heal herself nearly as quickly as Cordelia, and being no stranger to pain, the blows, the broken ribs, the broken arms weren't going to stop her.

As a vampire, Cordelia didn't have any magic or fire to fight back with.

Regina plunged forward, feeling the breaks and the bruises heal as quickly as they could, clenching her teeth through the exquisite pain, and marching forward her hands blazing as she shot Cordelia down with as much power as she could muster.

"Damn...witch fire," Cordelia croaked, exhaling smoke and patting the cinders of her burning flesh. "So much stronger than the flame of mortals," she complained.

"That's only the least of your worries," Regina said mercilessly storming forward. Her hair had started to come undone, her beautiful red gown was torn with gaping holes where wounds had healed in seconds. She could feel her powers start to wane, and she needed more vampire blood if she was going to truly take Cordelia's life as she intended.

Regina opened both arms wide and chanted, _"Sanguinem reddet tibi! Sanguinem reddet tibi!"_

Cordelia began to writhe in agony. "No!" she cried holding her stomach, Regina nodded with an evil smile as Cordelia screamed in pain.

Wind picked up, and Cordelia's blood began to drain from her pores forming a tunnel that drifted towards Regina who pulled the bloodline towards her with her outstretched hands, inhaling and swallowing Cordelia's vampire blood. Regina's eyes went from deep purple to a jet black that glowed viciously.

"Mmm!" she cried. "That's more like it!" Emma's blood had indeed made her powerful, but Cordelia was older and stronger than Emma. With Cordelia's blood Regina was unstoppable!

With her bare hands, she picked Cordelia up like a marionette doll and sent her flying into a tree. She thought of Emma and realized she wanted Cordelia to suffer. She zoomed to her less than second, picking the old vampire up with her hands, punching her squarely in the jaw.

Henry pounced on Emma from behind, when Emma suddenly shuddered violently and froze. She sat up quickly and took Henry by the arm.

"Where's your mother?" she asked, her tone stiff with sudden concern.

"Don't make me tell you," Henry begged. "She'll be mad."

"Henry," Emma said softening her grip. "No one is going to be in trouble, but I can feel your mother. I can feel she's in danger, yet she isn't afraid. Tell me what she's doing," Emma said. "We're a family."

Henry nodded and exhaled. "She woke up so powerful from all the blood you gave her. We ran some tests and mom asked me what it would take to make you human again..."

"And...?"

"And I told her so far the only way to cure you is to wipe out every vampire on the planet, starting with the one who turned you."

"Oh no," Emma said, her fangs springing forward. Henry flinched, and she softened her gaze. "You know I must go to her," Emma said.

Henry nodded, disappointed. "I can't come, can I?"

Regina lifted Cordelia by the arms and threw her ten feet up from the ground, against a tree where she was impaled on a pine branch through her middle. "I want you to know, _dear aunt,_ " Regina hissed. "Attempting to exact revenge was not your down fall...it was underestimating me, _Cora's daughter._ "

Cordelia laughed, spitting up black matter. "You stupid girl," she said. "You really think you can slay every vampire for your true love? There are vampires alive today older and more powerful than any other being that's walked this cursed world. You won't be able to take them...not without my help."

Regina threw her head back and laughed wickedly. "You think your little plea is going to make me forget Emma wouldn't have suffered at all if it wasn't for you," she formed a great fire ball which began doubling in size exponentially between her palms.

Cordelia's eyes grew wide with fear. Regina knew this would be the last shot she'd need to burn her alive. "Make your peace," she said darkly, drawing her arms back ready to sling the trash can sized fire ball that would obliterate Cordelia.

Regina was knocked to the side, and went down hard. The fire ball extinguished without her holding her power. Regina struggled, kicking whoever had held her down off as quickly as possible and getting to her feet. She looked back at the tree and was disappointed to see Cordelia had already gotten away. She turned to her attacker and was astonished for the second time to see what remained of Robin Hood.

"Oh no," Regina gasped in horror.

Robin Hood, what was left of him, stood awkwardly staring through her. "She gives me blood," he sounded like he was talking through a mouth full of sand. One of his arms was ripped clean off, and there wasn't much left of his clothing. He was covered in scars, nearly unrecognizable. Regina noted a few of his teeth had been sharpened, as if he were some kind of humanoid vampire hybrid. "I serve her."

"What has she done to you?" Regina asked sadly. She shuddered and closed her eyes looking away. She had never meant for anything like this to happen. She knew the only merciful thing she could do was destroy him. She was working up a curse to make him disappear, fade out slowly, the kind she had given Daniel when he had come back as a monster. Tears filled her eyes and she hesitated only for a moment when

With a mad howl Cordelia pounced on Regina darting from the ether. She didn't hesitate as she ripped Regina's head back by her hair and sunk her fangs into Regina's neck ans she screamed in horror!

 _"HEY!"_

Everything stopped.

Cordelia looked up to see Emma Swan who tossed Robin Hood to the side like the nothing he was, charging towards them.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own kind," Emma growled.

Cordelia grinned up at Emma, her red fangs bared and wet. "I've just had some very powerful vampire witch blood," she bragged, some dripping from the corner of her mouth.

"That won't be much help," Regina warned, unleashing her wrath once again and blasted Cordelia away.

Emma was at her side in an instant.

"Time to go," Regina said.

Emma blinked and they burst instantly into their secret realm in a cloud of smoke and sparks, making her dizzy.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Emma yelled as she took Regina by the shoulders and slammed her against the wall.

Regina liked it, both relieved and happy to see Emma.

"Hi lover, it's nice to see you too. Don''t mind me I've just been _out slaying vampires in your honor,_ " Regina said, losing her breath more and more with every word she spoke. Emma looked so good, and Regina wasn't sure if it was the vampire blood, or the fact that they'd just come in from a fight, but she wanted Emma _badly._

"You can't just take on an army of vampires without talking to me about it first," Emma said, still hard, still angry. Regina loved when Emma got that hard look in her eyes. It was proof Emma truly cared, and the best part of arguing with her.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," Regina said, boldly reaching around and putting her hands on Emma's ass, pulling her closer.

Emma took Regina by the wrists and held Regina's hands above her head, holding her down. Regina closed her eyes slowly, and looked at Emma willingly.

"You aren't foolish enough to think you could pull something like that off, are you?" Emma asked, eyes narrowed. "I thought I'm the idiot here. There's no way we are going to reverse this thing that way!"

"I am not going to stop, Emma! I don't care if I have to wipe out every last one of _those things_ to bring you back to the sunlight again! I don't care if I have to conquer the whole of this world to turn you back! I will do whatever it takes to keep my family together, so you might as well drain me right now because I am with you 'til the end of the line."

Emma's fangs sprung forward, and she glared at Regina, although Regina definitely knew how to speak to Emma's heart. "You are making me so mad right now," she growled pressing herself against Regina a little harder.

"You're making me wet," Regina moaned closing her eyes and tilting her head back, exposing her neck, the two puncture wounds where Cordelia had bitten her still bleeding.

Emma took a breath, and patiently brought her own finger to her mouth intending to use a drop of her own blood to heal Regina when Regina grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"No, I'm serious" she breathed, pulling Emma closer still. "Please," she tilted her head back again. "I want you to do it, Emma. _I want you to drink my blood._ "

Emma was shaking with hunger and desire for Regina. She hadn't fed all night, and she knew Regina had Cordelia's older, stronger vampire blood running through her. She could get by on just a little...

Regina looked at Emma darkly, noticing she was hesitating. "Do it," she hissed kissing Emma roughly, cutting her tongue on Emma's fang to tempt her further.

"Mmm," Emma moaned enjoying the taste, she lifted Regina against the wall, and Regina wrapped her legs around Emma kissing her desperately.

"There's three hours until dawn," Regina said tilting her head back again. _"You'll need the energy."_

Emma took a deep breath restraining herself, and gently slid her fangs into the soft flesh of Regina's neck.

"Oh yes," Regina breathed feeling a rush of pleasure with a hint of pain run through her body in waves. It was the most intimate thing she'd ever experienced. Never had she gone this far with another, to give them the royal blood from her body. It was such a thrill to know Emma could crush her or lose control and drain her dry. Regina didn't care.

Emma took just enough to satiate her hunger before pricking her own finger on one of her fangs and healing the small puncture wounds on Regina's neck. "You are delicious," she breathed into Regina's ear, who shuddered with pleasure against her. "You're also in trouble," Emma added darkly.

"Oh," Regina sighed helplessly, her eyes bright. "Am I to be punished?"

Emma swiftly bent Regina over their bed. Regina went willingly, sighing in ecstasy pressing her face against the soft, silk black sheets. She felt the most amazing rush of pleasure and pain when Emma spanked her on her perfectly round ass. Emma spanked her again, and Regina moaned her hands turning to fists in the bed sheets.

"Yes!" Regina breathed when Emma brought her hand down again.

"Who do you belong to?" Emma asked, holding Regina by the back of her neck. Regina backed against Emma, turning her head slightly enough to catch one of Emma's fingers into her mouth and suck playfully.

"You, Emma, I belong to you," she answered, kissing Emma's fingers as her heart pounded in her chest. She was hot for Emma in every way.

"That's right," Emma said spanking Regina again, a little harder this time. Regina moaned loudly with pleasure. "Say you'll never do anything that dangerous without me again," Emma demanded, hiking Regina's skirt up and spanking her bare ass.

Regina hissed through her teeth and grinned. "No," she said defiantly. It had the desired affect as Emma spanked her even harder. "Oh, I love it!" Regina cried.

Emma spanked Regina hard on the ass, aiming center so Regina's cunt would feel it too, and Regina's cries of pleasure continued. Emma leaned forward pressing her body against Regina's back, biting Regina's ear lightly. "You evil woman," Emma growled. She turned Regina over on her back and began to unlace the blue dress Regina was wearing. "Whatever shall I do with you?"

"Anything you want," Regina lay vulnerably staring up at Emma with such longing it took Emma's breath away. Once she had Regina naked, she stripped down and got into bed with her. They kissed passionately and Emma pressed Regina onto her back. Regina wrapped her legs around Emma's body.

"My love," Emma breathed into Regina's ear penetrating her with two fingers. Regina moaned as Emma slipped inside of her and began to thrust lightly against her G-spot, teasing Regina. They whispered vows of love to one another as Emma began to slowly build momentum beneath the sheets thrusting inside of Regina harder and harder.

Regina's breath began to quicken. "Yes, yes," she begged holding Emma tighter. "Don't stop."

Emma took her time pleasuring Regina, and slowed down, kneeling between Regina's legs intending to use her tongue when Regina sat up and spread her legs a little wider. "I want you to drink from me here too," she said to Emma, nodding towards her inner thigh. Emma growled softly running her hand over Regina's thigh feeling the blood pumping at a healthy pace beneath Regina's flesh.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked.

"Yes, please," Regina said lying back.

Emma knelt down gently biting Regina's inner thigh excited to hear Regina moan in pleasure in response as her red delicious blood gushed into Emma's mouth. "Mmm," Regina screamed with pain and pleasure, it was such an intense rush. Emma allowed herself to linger just a moment longer, savoring Regina's taste before delicately closing up the wounds her fangs had left behind.

Regina was sweating with pleasure and Emma didn't waste anytime, licking Regina's cunt, poking her tongue inside of Regina as she thrust her hips against Emma's face. The more pleasure Emma gave to Regina the more she felt between her own legs as it was so exciting for Emma to at last be with Regina flesh to flesh. Every time Regina screamed with pleasure, every time she rocked against Emma's face, pulled Emma's hair, said Emma's name, Emma felt shock waves of pleasure run through her in turn.

Emma took her time using long strokes inside to outside before finally giving in and drilling perfect circles over Regina's clit until she was screaming so loudly rocking her hips, until finally she came; the orgasm rolling through, she moaned with pleasure as Emma lapped every drop of her up.

When it was over, they lay gazing at one another. Emma had her head resting on Regina's stomach looking at her as Regina lightly stroked Emma's hair from her face. After a while Regina softly cleared her throat. "We should talk about something," she said. Emma gazed at her, waiting. "Well...you said earlier that you were afraid to use this realm as your hiding place because only my blood opens the portal. So...moving forward the obvious step is that _you should feed off of me, and only me."_

Emma was stunned by the care and love Regina continued to offer her, but this went above and beyond. She sat up and narrowed her eyes at Regina. "Are you really willing to let me drink your blood, night after night?"

Regina didn't say anything, simply stared at Emma with such love and resolve it seized Emma's heart.


End file.
